Welcome to My World
by SerenityMoon
Summary: This Story is an an end...It was written over a decade ago-And I'm pleased to say that my writing has improved since then. Forgive me for not wishing to continue this.
1. Default Chapter

Author: ~*SerenityMoon*~  
Title: ~*Welcome to My World*~  
Chapter: ~*One*~  
  
Disclaimer:   
  
I don't own Tomb Raiders, I don't own Gundam Wing, I don't own Sailor Moon. Is everyone clear on that?   
  
This is a crossover between SailorMoon, Tomb Raiders, and Gundam Wing. (As if you didn't know that from the disclaimer.) Have fun enjoy, and I will work on my other fics as soon as possible. I'm facing a major case of *bum**bum**bum* Writers Block. Ja ne!  
  
Hilary ~ Male Butler. Age: 49  
Bryce~ Male techno-geek. Age: 37  
Lady Lara Croft ~ Our one of a kind Tomb Raider. Age: 35   
Lady Serenity Croft ~ Lara Croft and Alex West's daughter. Age: 15  
Lord Alex West~ Lara's husband, and Serenity's father. Age: 39  
  
Quatre Winner: 15  
Heero Yui: 15  
Duo Maxwell: 15  
Wufei Chang: 15   
Trowa Barton: 16  
Relena Peacecraft: 15  
Milliardo Peacecraft: 21  
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AT THE CROFT MANSION  
  
"Serenity? Darling, where are you?", called out Lara Croft searching high and low for her daughter. At the age of fifteen her rambunctious child was never there when you wanted her. "Hilary, have you seen Serenity?", Lara asked her longtime butler, and friend. "No, I haven't Lady Croft. Check the foyer.", Hilary said hurriedly racing towards the lab as a crash resounded. With an amused sigh Lara mused over her child. Serenity took after her father in looks, but the attitude was all coming from herself. For that aspect she thanked the Gods for. "Serenity?", she called out louder searching for the tell tale long blonde braid. "I'm up here Kassan!", she finally her her daughter call out with a slight accent. "Up where?", Lara questioned looking around. "Look up mama!", Serenity called out reverting to English. Lara looked up to see her daughter twisting and turning in the air off of bungee cords. She wore a white button up shirt, the last few buttons undone, and white baggy draw string pants. Lara smiled to herself as she recalled herself wearing almost the exact same thing, doing the same thing before Serenity was born. She still did it once in awhile, but most of the time she was helping Serenity train, or on a mission. In this day and age Tomb Raiders really weren't available anymore, but people still needed them. The dangers of the job got to many of the previous raiders, but she, the Invincible Lady Croft, still was on top.   
  
"Coming down!", Serenity called out, unbuckling the harness. With a click she started falling towards the ground. Twisting her body just right she under up landing on her feet infront of her mother. "Your back!", Serenity chirped throwing her arms around her beloved mother, in a tight hug. "I missed you so!", Serenity continued squeezing the life out of the poor woman. "I missed you too, Serenity.", Lara replied hugging her back just as tightly. "Guess what I got you from Colony L6?", Lara asked taking Serenity's hand and pulling her towards the lab. "A boku?", Serenity questioned thoughtfully. "Nope.", Lara continued still pulling her towards the lab. "Another katana?", Serenity continued. "Not even close.", Lara continued mirth dancing in her eyes. "A new silver magnum?", Serenity continued enjoying the guessing. "Nuh-uh.", Lara replied chuckling. "Ooo, I know, I know!", Serenity hollered suddenly, stopping in her tracks. "What?", Lara questioned eyebrow raised. "A puppy!", Serenity chirped out, eyes wide thinking of the kawaii, chibi ball of fur. "You already have a white tiger, a neko, and a falcon, What would you want with a dog?", demanded Lara rolling her eyes at her child's love for animals. "Well, is that it?", Serenity questioned eagerly.   
  
"Not even close baby-girl.", a deep male voice boomed out. "Daddy!", Serenity shrieked out launching herself into her fathers arms. "And how is my baby-girl doing?", Alex West asked his lively daughter, happiness in his voice. His wife had forcefully decided to keep her last name when they married. It was all she had left of her father, and that, he understood. True, he used to be adventurous, caring only for power and money, caring less for who he hurt to get it. He grimaced as he remembered how he had acted, then smiled as he realized how much Lara had changed him. He still went on missions, but only for the fun of it. He wouldn't give up his family that he had now for the world, even if he was offered to be in Relena Peacecrafts position.   
  
"Alex, you didn't tell me you were coming home!", Lara scolded lightly as Serenity backed off of a father just a bit, so that her Kassan could welcome him too. Alex leaned down, and brushed his lips against Lara's in a lingering kiss. "Well it was a surprise.", Alex replied wrapping one arm around Serenity, and the other around Lara. "Now I'm going to go see that surprise, with my two favorite girls.", Alex started walking down the hall way. "We better be your only girls.", Lara mock glared. "You know you are.", Alex replied while kissing Lara's cheek. Serenity giggled at her parents actions and buried herself further into her fathers half embrace.   
  
"Hey baby-girl?", Alex asked his daughter, who was humming a song happily. "Yeah?", she asked looking at him. "Do you remember how a couple months ago, you were watching the Gundam's fighting Oz on the news?", Alex questioned stopping right outside the lab. "Yeah..", Serenity trailed off suspicious. "Do you remember when you said you wished you could help them?", Lara joined in smiling secretively. "Mmm-hmm.", Serenity replied her suspicion sensors on haywire now. "Well do you still want too?", Alex continued eyes twinkling in laughter. "Of course I do! I hate not being able to do something.", Serenity stated loudly, now extremely convinced her parents had cracked. "That's good.", Lara commented, walking into the lab. Serenity eyed her strangely, then followed her. Looking around the lab she wondered why she was never allowed in there when her parents weren't home. "Bryce?", Lara called out looking around, spying a new door that hadn't been there before. "Lady Croft?", Hilary called from the other side of the lab. "Hai, it's us.", Lara replied. "If you looking for ---- Oh, Lord West I didn't see you. Welcome home.", Hilary greeted. "And Bryce is where?", Lara questioned asking with her hands. "Oh, Bryce is in the new addition of the lab. The hanger, I believe.", Hilary replied with a wink in Serenity's direction."I didn't even know we had a hanger.", Serenity mumbled. Serenity narrowed her eyes, what in the name of the moon was going on?   
  
"This way you two.", Lara called making a b-line for the new steel re enforced door. Lara tapped on the wall four times and a small panel slid up, revealing a key pad. "The first code is 8142500.", Lara told Serenity pointedly, as the panel slid up to reveal another one. "The next code is WestCroft.", Lara continued punching in the letters, and another panel slid up. "Now you put your palm in there face down.", Lara continued doing so. The other two put their palms in the panel, and both winced as a small DNA sample was taken. 'Welcome Lady Lara Croft, Lady Serenity Croft, and Lord West. What is your destination?', a computerized voice asked. "Take us to the hanger.", Lara commanded, and the door infront of them slid open. 'Have a seat. Enjoy your trip.', the door opened to reveal an elevator with eight seats , and buckles. Serenity sat down in-between her parents and buckled up securely. "Ready?", Alex asked. "Yup.", Serenity replied. "Going down.", Lara called pressing the down button. And then they dropped. They dropped for what seemed to be forever, as fear clutched Serenity. Her stomach came to her throat, and she forced herself not to scream. Then suddenly just as quickly they started going forward at an unimaginable rate. Now Serenity laughed as her slight nausea went down. "Your enjoying this?", Alex demanded gripping the armrest. "Kinda! It's like an amusement park!", Serenity called back laughing at her father. "Remind me never to go there!", Alex yelled. "If you don't like it you can WALK the 23 miles to the hanger!", Lara called to him, knowing he would resist. "I think, I'll suffer.", Alex shouted back gripping the arm rest tighter. Suddenly the elevator stopped.   
  
"I think I'm going to be sick.", Alex muttered clutching him stomach, and stumbling out the doors. "Don't be such a baby.", Lara started, "Bathrooms that way.", she continued pointing to her right. Alex stumbled down the hall, using the railing for support. As her father disappeared from sight Serenity burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. "That's not funny, what if he's really sick?", Bryce commented from behind them. Serenity just shook her head and laughed until tears started to come to her eyes. "Never mind.", Bryce continued smiling at the silvery-blonde hared girl. "Let's go shall we?", Lara asked in amusement, turning down the hall. "Of course Lara.", Bryce agreed, dragging Serenity with him. Serenity, finally calmed down, ridding the picture of her strong determined Tousan, teetering down the hall from her mind. "We're here.", Lara stated pushing open the glass doors. Serenity walked into a room, no not a room, just a huge open space. It looked be as big as half her house in length. It height it was higher up than anything she had ever seen. "Hey, Sere?", Bryce called out from the other end of the hanger. "What?", Serenity questioned. "Your surprise is over here!", Lara continued. Serenity broke into a dead sprint to catch up with her mother, and friend. When she caught up she stopped dead in her tracks. "Oh, my Kami.", Serenity breathed.  
  
In front of her stood the most magnificent piece of deadly machinery she had ever seen in her life. It was a Gundam. It's colors were black and a silverish crystal mostly. It's chest had a dark navy blue bubble on in and she assumed the cockpit was in that area. "Is that? Is it ....... mine?", Serenity asked inspecting it as best she could from the catwalk. "Well it sure isn't mine.", Bryce stated sarcastically. "Oh, my Kami! Does this mean I can help the Gundams? Does it? I can't wait to give it a test drive!", Serenity rambled off. "Hai, chibi-one it is yours. made especially for you. Only if you pass the assimilation.", came a mysterious voice. "Who's there.", Serenity demanded instinctively reaching for her magnum, but realizing it wasn't there. "Kassan?", Serenity asked throwing a who-the-hell-is-that look at her. "Don't get so tense, Serenity. It's all right.", Lara assured. "My name is Dr. J, I am the original creator of Gundam Wing 01.", the old man stated coming out of the shadows.   
  
"Hey there you guys are.", Alex said suddenly popping out from around the corner. "Whoa, J really outdid himself.", Alex stated gazing at the newest Gundam. "Of course, I did. I always do.", Dr. J snapped from his corner. "What's the assimilation?", Serenity interrupted suddenly, cutting the idle chatter. "The assimilation, is almost like a real cockpit, it's controls are the same as your Gundam's, and it shows how well you're able to pilot it.", Dr.J told her almost kindly. "But first.", Lara interrupted, cutting Serenity's reply off. "Are you sure you want to do this? You could get hurt or ....... or worse. You will end up killing thousands. Millions even.", Lara pointed out, worry evident in her eyes. "You'll be away from home for a very long time.", Alex continued for her. "I understand mama, papa. But this is something I really want to, need to do, I can't just sit back and watch.", Serenity told them hugging her mother, grim determination in her eyes. She knew that the Gundam's fought for peace, despite what Oz said. She couldn't let them fight alone, it wasn't right. Of course she was going to miss her parents, but she would see them again, it wasn't forever. "Shall we start then?", Bryce asked pointing to a ............ virtual game system?  
  
Once Serenity was in a full black body suit, with small cords attached to it every which way, she was given a visor, and instructed on how to put it on. Once she was situated in the machine it started to hum, and whirl to life. "This system is equipped with the Zero System.", Dr. J announced. "What? Iie! She can't handle that! Get her out of there!", Lara yelled trying to go to the girl, but was held back surprisingly by Alex. "Koi, her Gundam has the Zero System in it, she needs to lean how to cope with it now.", Alex assured her. Dr.J stood infront of the computer where he monitored what Serenity did, "Well, Lady Croft. Welcome to My World.".   
  
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Well, how do you all like it? If I get five reviews I'll continue, if not I won't. Ja ne!  
  
~*SerenityMoon*~ 


	2. My Life

Author: ~*SerenityMoon*~  
Title: ~*Welcome to My World*~  
Chapter: ~*Two*~  
  
Disclaimer:  
  
If you really wish to see the disclaimer, go to chapter one, I'm not typing it again.   
  
Thanx for the wonderful, kind, loving, reviews! I got more than five! I personally was impressed considering the fact that I wrote that in half an hour. Kudos to all of you! Hugs and Kisses!  
  
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LAST TIME  
  
Once Serenity was in a full black body suit, with small cords attached to it every which way, she was given a visor, and instructed on how to put it on. Once she was situated in the machine it started to hum, and whirl to life. "This system is equipped with the Zero System.", Dr. J announced a small gleam in his eye. "What? Iie! She can't handle that! Get her out of there!", Lara yelled trying to go to the girl, but was held back surprisingly by Alex. "Koi, her Gundam has the Zero System in it, she needs to lean how to cope with it now.", Alex assured her. Dr.J stood infront of the computer where he monitored what Serenity did. With a smirk he stated, "Well, Lady Croft. Welcome to My World.".  
  
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AN OZ BASE IN ASIA  
  
"LOOK OUT IT'S THE GUNDAM'S!!", screamed the voice of a panicked soldier in a Leo mobile doll. Seconds later the man was no more as his suit burst out in flames. Chaos and destruction followed the five Gundam's which were destroying everything in their path. Anything that stopped them from completing their mission was obliterated. "Duo, take the North side. Trowa, the West side. I'll cover the East, while Wufei covers the South. Heero go in and retrieve that disk!", a golden blonde hared pilot directed, destroying three Aries in the process. "Sure thing Q-man!", pilot 02 called over the vid screen. "Watch your back, baka!", 05 snapped at 02, destroying a Pisces behind him. "You watch it Wu-man.", 02 called back nonchalantly destroying an unnoticed Aries behind 05.  
  
Pilot 01 slipped quietly through the halls of the enemy base. Oz soldiers were running amok, in the frenzy to evacuate, all the while leaving the main computer room un guarded. 01 unconsciously smirked as he saw the disorder in the base, silently scolding them for not noticing him. Placing his hand on his gun he opened the computer room to find it empty. The large main computer beeped quietly, omitting a soft surreal glow on the walls. His fingers flew over the keyboard of the computer, causing small clicks to sound throughout the room. In seconds a small silver disk popped out of the hard drive, and just as quickly the man slipped in another disk. The computer read the disk and immediately started to erase all of the files that had been in the computer. 01 slipped back out of the room, planting bombs on his way out. Every corner, nook, and cranny had a destructive device that could be set off by the control in his hand. Walking cautiously out of the base a soldier shot at him, only grazing his shoulder due to 01's quick reflexes. "You're not supposed to be here!", the man shouted, quickly silenced as 01 pumped his head full of lead. 01 wasted no time in getting in his Gundam, and starting it up. He looked at the detonator in his hand and noticed that his comrades were out of the way, so he flicked the switch.   
  
A loud explosion rang in pilot 03's ears as debris shot towards him. He realized 01 must have completed the mission, and quickly killed off the rest of the mobile dolls, rejoining 04, 02, and 01. 05 showed up suddenly as all five of them faced the flames. "Mission Accomplished.", 01 stated through the vid com, in an emotionless tone that sent shivers up 02's spine. "Let's go home.", 04 suggested quietly, blasting away, trying to not to show how much what they had just done affected him. 'It's the only way to bring about peace. We must fight. There is no other way.', 04 thought sadly to himself a grim determination in his eyes. The other pilots pulled up next to him and flew silently to the Winner Mansion in the Sahara Desert.  
  
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IN THE CROFT MANSION  
  
'Do you understand chibi one? War is not like the movies. People that are killed can not be brought back to life. Many people, sometimes even innocents, may be killed by your hand, you must learn not to grieve for them until your mission is over. If you grieve for them in battle, you will surely be killed.', came Dr. J's voice through Serenity's mind. ' I understand, Dr. J', Serenity replied in a strong voice, determination shining through. She had seen slips of the war, clips of the injuries, clips of the deaths through the virtual training system. 'Lady Croft, you are going to face a new world now. Your Kassan will not be there to pick you up when you fall. You will be fighting, with perhaps no chance of a normal life at all. Are you willing to accept this? To accept being a ruthless killer, and a Gundam pilot?', Dr. J questioned her, almost as if hoping for her to decline.   
  
'Will I make a difference, Dr. J?', Serenity questioned before answering. She thought it wise, feeling an unfamiliar trust in the old man. 'Will I be helpful or just in the way?', Serenity continued, needing to know his answer. 'Lady Croft, chibi-one, I can not tell you that. Only you can ask yourself if your going to make a difference. And you can only tell yourself that by the way you act, and what you say.', Dr. J replied a slight smile forming on his lips. 'Dr. J?', she questioned a smirk sliding across her delicate features. 'Hai, little one?', Dr.J answered a smirk on his face rivaling her own. ' Let's do it.', Serenity affirmed, her voice serious, demanding direct attention. 'As you wish, Lady Croft.', Dr. J told her feeling an unfamiliar faith in the girl.  
  
"What is going on in there?", Lara ranted watching her daughter in extreme worry. 'What's he saying to her? What's she responding? I knew I shouldn't have let her do this!', Lara ranted in her mind, pacing back and fourth. 'But it was what she really wanted. She wouldn't have been happy otherwise.', Another more reasonable voice inside of Lara whispered. Alex and herself had debated over her baby becoming a pilot for nearly six months. Serenity had ranted and raved, quite like her kassan, around the house, arguing with herself over the war. She wanted to help so much it seemed, that all she did was study about the war. Studying Oz's tactics and base plans was something she prided her self in. She had nearly had all the bases memorized. At least in location.   
  
Finally, they had received a call from Dr.J, announcing that Serenity's Gundam was done. This puzzled Lara at first, she didn't know Dr.J and had never ordered a Gundam for Serenity. Then she found out Alex had requested it, for Serenity wanted to help in the war. But then wanting to help in the war wasn't nearly enough to be a pilot and assassin. She needed to have the skills to do it to. Serenity was ahead of her time in intelligence. She had amazing computer skills from being inside so often, and had mastered most if not all the ways of fighting. The only thing she had left to learn was how to pilot a Gundam.   
  
"Lara stop pacing, you'll put a rut in the floor!", Alex mock scolded pulling her into a gentle hug. " Like you're one to talk!", she shot back, referring to his own pacing a few moments ago. "Opps.", he muttered a hand behind his head as he chuckled. "Hey you two she's starting!", Bryce called from a huge T.V. screen on one wall. It showed what Serenity was seeing and currently destroying.   
  
'Remember Lady Croft keep your guard up!', Dr. J reminded as she fiercely battled the mobile dolls. 'Good Good, Serenity move back, and Fly!', Dr.J continued as Serenity let out nothing more than 'hnn's'. The assimilation took all of her attention, and all of her determination. Her controls were as hard to maneuver as an actual Gundam was. At least that's what J had said. As long as she paid attention it was no problem in piloting the machine, she hadn't even broken out a sweat yet. 'Let's turn it up a notch.', Dr. J suggested, and suddenly many more mobile dolls appeared, making her job harder.   
  
" Is she really doing that?", Alex asked in shock as the level on the machine increased from five to six. "She sure is! That machine only goes up to ten, however I doubt she'll get that far.", Bryce observed. Lara only nodded, still worried over their decision, yet at the same time still having great faith in her daughter. Suddenly the level dropped down gradually on the view screen, showing that the session was over. The hatch on the assimilation system opened with Dr.J and Serenity stepping out. "That wasn't so bad.", Serenity told them making careful slow steps, for much of her energy was drained.   
  
"Lady Croft, Lord West, I will assure you that you will not be seeing your daughter for nearly two months.", Dr. J stated walking towards them. "Why?", Lara demanded, voice edgy. "She will need other training besides the assimilation, and she must do so without you two hovering around her. She won't learn anything if you stay.", Dr. J stated bluntly. "We understand.", Alex spoke not trusting his wife to speak. Lara silently glared at him, sometimes he was far to mature. "When are you two starting?", Lara asked while Alex flinched under her stare. "Now, Say your good bye's.", J instructed going to converse with Bryce.   
  
"Kassan, Tousan I'll miss you.", Serenity stated hugging both her parents at the same time. "Oh, Serenity.", Lara whispered. "Hey baby-girl just think of it as 'summer camp'. We'll see you as soon as 'camp' ends.", Alex tried giving Serenity a wink, who laughed and hugged them both individually. "You should get going, now.", Dr. J instructed coming back over seeing they were done. "Hai, we shall. See you soon.", Lara admitted reluctantly, while Alex held her hand. "See ya Baby-girl.", Her father replied truly sad to leave his little girl. He loved her, but he knew he had to let her go. Just a little, it wasn't like she was getting married. "See you!", Serenity called back till they were out of sight. "Let the real training begin.", Dr. J stated to her, who quickly got into a fighting stance.  
  
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AT THE WINNER MANSION  
  
The five pilots were stuck in the hanger, fixing their damaged Gundam's. "I don't believe they did that to poor Scythe's knee!", Duo exclaimed from the ladder, wiping some scuff marks of the knee cap. " It's not that bad Duo, it could have been worse.", Quatre assured Duo from inside his cock pit, double checking to make sure all the wires were completely together. Trowa finished refilling his ammo, and soon closed the hatch on Heavy Arms. With a graceful jump he landed almost silently on the catwalk. "Braided Baka.", Wufei snorted, while repairing a microchip in Shenlong. Heero Yui typed silently on his laptop, sending the contents of the disk to Dr. J. Then he deleted the information that was on the disk. With a swift motion he tossed the now empty disk in the garbage can, across the room. He leaned against Wing Zero's foot, and continued searching his e-mail for a mission. 'Relena ....', Heero thought absently, while deleting the three e-mails from her. At the second from the bottom of the list he saw Dr. J's. Opening it he read:  
  
01,  
  
I am to inform you that I will not be contacting you pilots for any missions, unless it is a dire emergency, for the next two months. During your absence, consider it a 'vacation' , however stick together. You never know what might come up. My mission for you five right now, is to avoid all contact with Oz, unless notified by myself or another one of the doctor's. Mission Accepted or Declined?  
  
Dr.J  
  
Heero a stared at the e-mail blankly, until he typed : Mission Accepted.  
  
He quickly sent that e-mail to Quatre. He sent it to Quatre because he knew the kind hearted boy would immediately tell the others. Heero observed Trowa on the catwalk, hanging in the shadows. He suspected the silent boy was doing the same thing he was, watching. Heero closed his laptop, and stared at his hands. Hands that were most nearly always covered in blood. Very rarely was the blood ever his, however. He touched his shoulder, with a wry thought realized he had been too sure of himself in that base. As the 'Perfect Soldier' he couldn't make mistakes like that, he needed to be more cautious, more careful, more alert. He should have never been shot on a mission like that. Mission. What were they supposed to do without missions anyway? Just sit uselessly? He thought not.   
  
*BANG*  
  
He almost *almost* jumped. Glancing around the Gundam Shenlong, he saw Duo trapped under his ladder, a bit dazed. Quatre scrambled out of his cock pit to help the confused American boy, out from under his ladder. "Duo no baka.", Wufei grumbled pulling the stunned pilot out of the way while Quatre held up the ladder. Heero didn't see how Duo or Quatre had become Gundam pilots. Duo sure, he was a great pilot, but his personality matched that of a two year old. Quatre. Quatre was far to innocent to be a ruthless assassin like himself. The platinum hared blonde should have never been in the war in the first place.With a snort he passed Duo, and continued on until he got to Quatre. "Check your e-mail.", Heero told him in monotone, walking out the door. He had the sudden urge to be in the artificial park extending off of the mansion.   
  
"Baka be more careful!", Wufei admonished angrily,"You could have scratched Nataku!". "Gee, I didn't know you cared Wu-man.", Duo proclaimed with an impish grin. "My name is WUFEI!", Wufei yelled back, grabbing a boku off the wall. "O~Kay Wu-man.", Duo responded. Ten minutes later Duo had many visible lumps on him, from the wooden practice katana. Trowa jumped down from the catwalk to land next to Quatre, who held his head in his hands shaking it back and fourth. "Trowa, will they ever get along?", Quatre asked softly glancing at the tall boy. Trowa stared at him blankly, giving no answer except mirth shown in the one visible emerald eye. "That's what I thought.", Quatre groaned leaning against Sandrock.  
  
Heero sat under an artificial tree, next to a likewise pond watching the clouds roll overhead. 'Beautiful.', he thought surveying the awesome beauty of the garden. He closed his eyes as a slight breeze ruffled his unruly bangs. From inside he heard a crash, and instead of taking up his gun he merely smirked. Wufei and Duo were at it again. It had become a normal occurrence in the pilots lives, and for some it was a comic relief. When the noise died down he gave an unconscious smile, figuring Quatre must have put an end to it. He reveled in the silence of the area he was in. He welcomed it, considering the noise of war was always around him. Maybe it was a good thing they were given time off. He blinked and quickly shrugged off that thought, closing his eyes again.   
  
When he opened his eyes he realized he must have dozed off, considering it was five minutes before dinner was served. Quickly he got up, if he wasn't on time Quatre's cook would skin him alive.   
  
(Picture the Cook from the Little Mermaid.)  
  
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4 WEEKS INTO SERENITY'S TRAINING  
  
"You are no longer just Serenity Croft, but now you are pilot 06, owner of Tsuki Hoshi a.k.a. Moon Star. Shi Tenshi is your code name until further notice, understood?", Dr.J told Serenity in a serious tone. She barley nodded, but stared hard at the wall with her cornflower blue eyes, as if willing it to explode. A single light shone on her, while Dr. J paced around her in the shadows.  
  
" I am presenting this to your in the form of a mission. Should you choose to accept or decline is your choice alone. You are to retrieve the disk containing the information on the Gundam pilots and return it to me. You must destroy the base, and anyone who sees your face must be terminated. Accept or Decline?", Dr. J questioned her awaiting a sure answer, from his newest creation.  
  
"Mission Accepted.", came her cold reply as she walked out of the room.   
  
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A BASE ON THE OUT SKIRTS OF ENGLAND  
  
The one dubbed Shi Tenshi slipped past the guards at the front doors of the base quite easily. No one heard her. No one saw her face. She hid around the corner as a lone soldier sauntered slowly down the hall. In a quick movement the woman slumped to the ground unconscious, not dead. Quickly, cautiously she changed into the woman's uniform, and stuffed the body in a closet, she'd wake up soon. She noticed the woman was a lieutenant and quickly walked down the hall. No one stopped her, no one saw her face. She kept the hat pulled low over her eyes, and soon enough she came to the computer room. Two guards. Easily disposed of with tranquilizer darts. She then copied the information out of the computer, then she put in her own version of a virus. A white dog with blue eyes winked on the screen, then began to tear apart the screen, while in reality destroying the computers hard drive. She gave a smirk, and quickly turned to leave. Suddenly she noticed a red light flashing above her head. "Kuso.", she muttered racing down the still empty side of the hallway, disk in hand.   
  
"Hurry, he went this way!", came the shouts from behind her. 'Guy?' 'Guy?', Shi Tenshi thought furiously, running faster. She then rolled her eyes as she realized she didn't have time to set bombs. She'd have to blow it up the hard way. Suddenly, she heard footsteps coming towards her. Spying large pipes above her, she swung herself up on them, pulling her legs up, just before both groups rounded the corner. "Hey, maybe he went in that door down there!", One of them shouted, while the other's argued. Shi Tenshi rolled her eyes, and threw down a smoke bomb. As soon as it exploded she was gone. She raced down the now empty hall, while shots, and coughs followed her. She blasted out the doors and cleared the enemy lines, avoiding all search lights. Soon enough, she got to her well hidden Gundam. The mecha transformed from a plane to a fully operational Gundam, in less than 15 seconds. Aiming her buster rifle at the base she whispered, "Good-bye." A white hot blast of energy shot through the air, and hit the base. As soon as it touched the base it exploded. "Mission Accomplished.", Serenity stated as she transformed it back into a plane, and flew back to the hanger.  
  
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AT THE WINNER MANSION  
  
Duo lounged in a floating chair in an indoor pool. "This is the life......", he murmured. They hadn't had a mission in WEEKS!!!! It was in his opinion wonderful, however he did miss his ol' pal Scythe. He back peddled his arms in the water making him go slowly backward. He smirked when he remembered when Heero had found his laptop missing. Being the dangerous pilot 01 is, he immediately stalked out Duo until he found him. Heero had stated his favorite phrase until Duo finally gave into the glare, and told him where it was. He swore to Kami that that boy had different glares for each day of the week. Not to mention, patented one's for the holiday's. Suddenly the pool room door burst open. "Duo, come quick! There ...... There's another ....... Gundam!", Quatre huffed to the boy. "Another WHAT!?!", Duo shrieked loudly, jaw dropped. "Another Gundam!", Quatre repeated running off to find Wufei. Duo quickly pulled himself over to the side of the pool, and pulled himself off the blow up chair. He raced into the pool room to put his pants on, and dragged the white shirt with him, hair undone flowing in waves of brown, as he ran down the hall, avoiding Servants on the way.  
  
IN THE LIVING ROOM  
  
*And yet another Gundam was spotted last night, at an Oz base.*, the announcer spoke looking at a screen in which a black and silvery white Gundam came on the screen. It showed the mecha destroying the base.   
*The base was completely decimated, there were no survivors.*, the news caster stated seriously. *Back to you Aaron.*, she said, and the screen switched. *If I didn't know any better, Lynn, I'd say that this new Gundam is the fearsome Wing Zero with a paint job! Look at the similarities.*, the man stated with a quirky grin. Two pictures showed up on screen. One of Wing Zero, and one of the new Gundam. "Damn....", muttered Duo looking over the new Gundam appreciatively. *Hai, I do see the similarities. Now for the weather report......*, the anchor woman started until Wufei shut off the T.V.   
  
"Heero, please tell me Wing got a paint job.", Duo joked lightly, half hoping it was true. A death glare was sent his way, and he quickly backed down. "Does anyone have any clue who that might ........", Quatre trailed off suddenly, eyes growing blank, right before he collapsed.   
  
FLASHBACK  
  
"Come on Q-tra! Come play with me, Okassan said you could!", called a twelve year old girl, with long silvery- blonde hair. "In a minute!", Quatre found himself replying hopping over the low fence that separated their properties. The girl was on a black stallion horse, that neighed with delight as Quatre fed it a carrot before taking the girls hand to climb on behind the girl. "Ready?,she asked, taking hold of the reins, while he held onto her waist. "Yup!", he replied holding on for dear life. With a pull to the reins, the horse started off at an unimaginable speed.   
  
LITTLE OLDER  
  
"Okassan, can Quatre stay for dinner?", the girl asked a woman with a long brown braid. "Sure darling. Make sure to phone his parents.", the woman replied patting his head affectionately. Quatre blushed slightly then called his parents.  
  
LITTLE OLDER  
  
"Q-tra, this is Shiro, my new pet!", The girl called out exuberantly petting the tiger on the head, who in turn nuzzled her hand. "And that's Luna, you remember her!", the girl stated pointing at an unrecognizable black furry lump on a sunny spot on the bed. "I-It's a-a-a t-tiger!", Quatre stuttered backing away. "That's what I just said, silly!", she replied taking his hand and using it to pet the tiger. "See, he likes you!", she stated out happily, pulling him to the bed to wake Luna.  
  
13 YEARS OLD  
  
"I'm sorry, but I've got to leave.", Quatre stated to the teary eyed girl. "Why?", she demanded breaking out into tears and sobbing in his arms. "I've got to do this. So I can protect my family, so I can protect you.", Quatre replied softly, wondering why it hurt so much to part with the crying angel in his arms. "Promise to comeback?", she asked, staring up at him innocently. "I.... I...... Someday. Yes, I promise someday.", Quatre replied firmly, a smile gracing his face for her benefit.  
  
END  
  
Quatre shot up in bed in a cold sweat. "How .......", he trailed off. He remembered asking his friends........... something. He didn't remember anymore. It was night time now, 3:30 in the morning. It had been mid-day when he passed out. As he recalled his previous memory, a slight smile crossed his boyishly kawaii face. "Serenity.", he whispered into the dark. "Who's that?", came a monotone voice from beside the bed. He jumped out of bed, and the owner of the voice turned on a lamp. "By Allah, Heero, don't do that to me.", Quatre breathed, a hand over his fluttering heart. He sat back down and leaned against the headboard, staring at the white canopy. "Who's that?", Heero repeated still in the same monotone, a flicker of mirth in his eyes. "A friend..... a friend from long ago.", Quatre replied. "What was her name?", came a tired voice from the doorway. Quatre spotted the long loose brown hair and assumed it to be Duo. "I'll go get Wu-man and Trowa to tell them you're up.", Duo yawned rubbing his eyes, looking kawaii.   
  
Ten minutes later he came back with a wide awake Trowa and a sleepy Wufei. Duo, obviously more awake with the cup of coffee clutched in his hand, plopped on the bottom of Quatre's bed, smiling happily. "Winner, you better have a good explanation for passing out like a weak onna.", Wufei stated sleep heavy in his voice. "So what's her name? Is she a babe? Q-man I never knew you had it in ya!", Duo rattled off grinning at Quatre. "First off, Duo, the last time I even laid eyes on her was when I was thirteen.", Quatre pointed out massaging his temples. "What are we doing talking about a weak onna?", Wufei demanded hotly. "I dare you to call her weak again, Wufei.", Quatre stated glaring at the Chinese boy. His blue eyes swirled with unknown emotions, all of which were focused on the slightly miffed pilot of Shenlong . "Quatre, my friend, you've been hanging around Heero too long.", Duo told him with sympathetic eyes, receiving a glare from Heero. "Well, it's true I'm not the only one who noticed that glare.", Duo defended.   
  
"Back to the subject at hand....", Quatre suggested with a gesture of his hands. He was already feeling tired again, although he had slept all day. "O~kay, Name?", Duo questioned once more. " Serenity Usagi Croft.", Quatre replied unaware of the strange looks he was receiving. "Winner, did you just say Croft?", Wufei questioned, crossing his arms. "Hai, Why? Her Kassan is Lara Croft, and her Tousan is Alex West.", Quatre replied raising an elegant eyebrow. " THE Lara Croft?", Duo echoed. "Hai!", Quatre replied frustrated. "Your friend is the daughter of THE Lara Croft!", Duo repeated blinking is disbelief.   
  
"That has nothing to do with as to why you passed out Quatre.", came Trowa's voice, soft and deep, pleasing to the ear. "Well, I was thinking about that new Gundam, and I just ......... passed out.", Quatre explained brow furrowed. "I don't understand as to what happened when the flash back occurred.", Quatre continued slipping off of the bed and pacing back and fourth. "What?", asked Duo now interested. "It was like a memory, or a flashback or something....", Quatre continued running a hand through his shiny golden hair. "Of what?", came a monotone voice. Heero was accustomed to these flashbacks, happening every so often. Although he always had them while awake.  
  
"I was ........ twelve .......... I was supposed to be with Iria playing........ a game. I snuck out because I hated it, and I ran into Serenity on her horse. I had known her since I was eight, so we got along. I remember seeing her kassan, but the end was where I left to be a pilot. All I remember about that day is the fact that she cried.", Quatre stated softly, placing his hands over his eyes. " For the first time ever, she cried. She's been bucked off a horse, she fell out of her tree house, she tripped down the stairs. Each time she broke a limb, but never did she cry, but there she was crying away.", Quatre sighed and ran his fingers through his hair again. No one said anything, there wasn't much to be said. "Then that really doesn't explain it either, now does it.", Quatre mused aloud. After a few more moments Quatre shook his head. "All right, I give up. I for one am going back to sleep, I suggest you do the same, we have a long day ahead of us tomorrow.", he continued slipping back into bed. Goodnight's , and hnn's were exchanged, and soon enough Quatre clicked the lamp off.  
  
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SERENITY'S ROOM IN THE HANGER  
  
'My ceiling is so boring.', Serenity complained in her head. She had just gotten back from another minor mission, and had been wounded on her side. Apparently she had passed out when she landed, because when she woke up she was in her own bed. The wound was bound tightly, making it quite uncomfortable for her to move. She found a glass of water and two majorly huge pain killers on her desk with a note from Dr.J. In the note he had said not to get out of bed till morning. With a sigh she rolled over carefully, and stared out the small window. The moonlight entered the room, covering her in a ureatheal glow. Feeling suddenly comforted she gave a slight smile, then slipped into oblivion.   
  
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IN THE CROFT MANSION  
  
"How dare he send her on missions without our consent!", Lara raved from the shower, while Alex sat in bed reading a book. "Well, obviously he thought she was ready for it.", Alex replied pushing up his glasses. "After a MONTH!", Lara exclaimed coming into the room to brush out her hair. "If you have that much of a problem with it, pull her out.", replied Alex calmly, flipping the page. "As much as I'd like to, I can't. It's her decision to help in this war, and I'll be damned if I'm going to take it away from her.", Lara stated firmly leaving her hair down, as she climbed in bed. "Well then don't complain over J's decisions. He's a great man, I've known him for most of my life, and he knows what he's doing.", Alex lightly scolded, setting his book down, and taking of his glasses. Lara merely *humphed* while clapping her hands. The lights went off, while the moon still shown through the window, bathing them in it's comforting light.  
  
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2 WEEKS LATER  
  
"Kassan, Tousan?", Serenity called racing into the familiar foyer. She had finished her training early, and was granted permission to see her parents early. "Your Tousan is in the Library, I'm not sure where your kassan is. I never am.", Hilary announced from his spot on the table, he was changing a light bulb. Serenity stated her thanks and called out for her parents again. "Baby-girl? Is that you?", Alex called heading out of the Library on the second floor. "Hai, papa!", Serenity called racing up the stairs. As her tousan met her at the top, she hugged him tightly. "So, how have all your missions gone?", came a stern female voice from behind her. "Kassan!", Serenity shrieked squeezing her mother with all her might. Lara's face transformed from a frown, to a smile as her daughter hugged her. "So, are you up here to stay?", Lara questioned hopefully. "Hai, at least until my next mission.", Serenity replied disentangling herself from her kassan. "Well, that's good.", remarked Lara in relief.   
  
"Lara, aren't you forgetting something.......", Alex hinted sounding much less than delighted. "What's going on?", Serenity asked confused, as a feeling of dread washed over her. "We have a mission coming up.", Lara stated her brow furrowed. "When's it start, normally your mission's aren't any more than a two weeks.", Serenity started feeling her hopes lift, as the feeling of dread passed away. "Serenity, this is a ...... long mission.", Alex started feebly. "What he's trying to say is we will both be leaving tomorrow morning. And we won't be back for--", Lara started watching her child carefully. "Six Months.", Alex finished for her. Serenity gaped for a second then quickly pulled herself back together. She wanted to scream, cry, and protest, but her recent training didn't allow her such outbursts. "I see.", she replied curtly instead. "I shall be out in the field with Apollo then.", Serenity continued turning on her heal, and walking calmly down the stairs. Her face displayed no emotion, and her eyes were solid as stone. She would grieve later, now was not the time.  
  
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IN THE HANGER  
  
"J, J, I KNOW YOU'RE THERE! ", called a man over the vid phone. "Yeah, yeah, what is it Dr. S?", Dr. J replied finally picking up the phone. "J you've got to send the Gundam Pilots on a mission! It's too advanced for you're new amateur, they're retrieving disk X095 from one of the most heavily protected bases in Oz. You must send them tonight, before the disk gets sent to Une!", Dr. S ranted loudly, pacing on the screen. "I understand, I'll get them on it right away.", Dr. J agreed his brow furrowed. "You better!", Dr. S glared hanging up. Dr. J quickly logged onto his computer and e-mailed Heero. 'That should do it.', Dr. J told himself in his mind. He waited fifteen minutes before he received the words: Mission Accepted.   
  
"Sending them on a mission without me?", questioned a voice. J visibly flinched as he realized his charge wasn't going to be happy. "Hai, but they have the experience you lack, thus you will only be used as a reserve.", Dr. J stated reasonably, not to mention quickly. The silver hared girl wore her floor length hair in one long french braid, while her boots went up to her knee and ended in a sharp point. Her pant's were black, and skin tight, while she wore a stiff shiny silver top, which tied behind the neck. The material it was made out of was quite heavy, and tear resistant. If a bullet were to hit her, depending on where, depending on what kind of gun, the bullet would bounce off. Of course she never wore this outfit in front of her father, her father would flip, and her mother would egg her on. It was quite comfortable however.  
  
(Picture Jade's outfit from Mortal Combat, except instead of the green top, Serenity has silver.)  
  
Shi Tenshi stepped out of the shadows, flanked by a large white tiger, and a small black neko. A black falcon with piercing blue eyes sat on her shoulder, staring with the same fierce intensity as it's owner. J really didn't want to know how she had gotten the tiger down there, he really didn't. "Understood.", Shi Tenshi replied watching the screen like a hawk. Dr. J sat down in the chair next to her and also watched.   
  
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THE COMPUTER ROOM IN THE WINNER MANSION  
  
"We will only be able to take three Gundam's with us, but even then we probably won't even use them.", Quatre explained after reading the e-mail," We want to get in and get out, we don't destroy the base unless necessary.", he continued. "Who's taking their Gundam's.", Duo questioned leaning back on the couch. "How about Trowa, Heero, and you.", Quatre suggested. "Fine, Winner. I ride with Barton.", Wufei interrupted, stating his claim. He did NOT want to be stuck with the pest Maxwell, or Yui. "I'll go with Duo if everyone's all right with that.", Quatre replied looking serious, he would have rather went with Heero, but he respected Heero's privacy. Quatre sighed, it was going to be a long trip.   
  
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IN THE CROFT HANGER  
  
" Serenity, you should head upstairs to see your parents off.", Bryce suggested from behind the two of them. Serenity had just woken up and was prepared to watch for sign's of the pilots. It unnerved her greatly that Dr. J refused to state their actual names, but called them by their numbers. "I shall, Bryce, Arigatou for reminding me.", Serenity replied softly. Her voice was sweet like bells, however it sounded as if she didn't care one way or another. As soon as Serenity was out of the room Bryce commented," She sure has changed." "Iie.", Dr J replied. "What?", Bryce asked confused now occupying the chair Serenity previously had. "I understand the mistake I made with my first pilot. I erased all feeling from him completely. With Serenity she now just retains dual personalities.", J explained earning a nod from Bryce.   
  
UPSTAIRS  
  
"Good-bye mama, papa.", Serenity stated in a steady voice. She didn't want her parents to leave. They were supposed to stay at home, safe, under her protection. She sighed as she realized her mother and father would most definitely take care of themselves, but she just had a horrid feeling. It came and went leaving her feeling like she had just run a marathon. "Be careful Serenity, you're not angry with us are you?", Lara asked tentatively. Her daughters passive voice worried her greatly. There was no way her child had been turned into a perfect soldier in six weeks, it wasn't possible. She had heard of a perfect soldier, but she deemed even, that over-rated. "Hey we'll be back, maybe we'll even be back early.", her father stated positively, with a quirky grin. He too was worried about his chibi-girl, his only child. " I'm not worried. You two are the best at what you do. I'm a big girl I can take care of myself for a bit of time.", Serenity responded hugging her parents good-bye. "Ja ne, musuko of mine.", Lara stated climbing into a blue sports car. "See ya, princess.", Alex responded pulling her into a bear hug that she responded somewhat lax. 'Princess? How does that sound familiar?', Serenity questioned herself waving as etiquette had taught her. Sighing Alex climbed in next to his wife, and waved out the window, only to see Serenity with her back turned as she hadn't done in years.  
  
"I will not cry, I will not plead, because before I can turn around, they will be back for me.", Serenity muttered under her breath. She had such a horrible feeling in her stomach, it was worse now than ever. Steeling her resolve she closed her eyes and wiped a single tear away. With that she walked back in the house hearing the engine roar in the distance. She ran in the house, and straight to her parents room. She climbed under the covers of the bed, and gazed blankly at the book on the desk. 'Why do I feel so awful, what is going on? Goddess help me.', Serenity whispered in her head before falling into an unexpected deep sleep.   
  
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LATER THAT NIGHT  
  
"Ready?", Quatre asked in a whisper to Trowa. They had been assigned to check the East corridor for the disk. Duo and Heero were with them for a time then they split off to the North corridor. Wufei opted to immediately go alone in the West corridor. There was no South part of the building. The two moved in the shadows, avoiding any type of confrontation. They were not there to kill anyone, just to get a simple disk. This was the relatively easy part, the hard part had been getting past the courtyard where hundreds of guards patrolled with huge spot lights on tall towers. Quatre and Trowa tiptoed down the hall, and finally spotted a room marked 'Computer Lab.' Quatre shook his head sadly, how novice could they be? They entered the room silently and both began looking for the light. Suddenly, the lights clicked on and numerous gun's were cocked. "Raise your hands above you're heads, and turn around slowly.", ordered an officer. They did as told and seconds later they felt sharp pain's in their shoulders. With a glance they realized they were tranquilizer darts, someone wanted them alive. Without another thought darkness consumed them.   
  
"Oh, shit.", muttered Duo as he observed the guns pointing at him. "Drop your weapon's, and raise your hands above your heads.", stated an Oz soldier steadily, while smirking at the pair. Duo did so cursing repeatedly, while Heero reluctantly dropped his favorite gun, and repeated the process. Their hands were cuffed and they were thrown in a cell with one other body. "It's Trowa, he's been drugged.", Duo reported helping the prone boy into a more comfortable position. As comfortable as he could get him in a bare cell.   
  
Minutes later another body was thrown in with them, although this one moved. "Injustice.", Wufei mumbled shaking the cloudiness from his head. He then realized his hands were cuffed too.  
  
IN ANOTHER PART OF THE BASE   
  
"Tell who you are!", came the deadly voice of his enemy. Quatre stared in defiance at the man holding a whip. "Never.", came Quatre's steady reply. "Tell the names of you're friends and I might let you live.", the man stated trying to sound nice, which really wasn't all that nice at all. "Never.", Quatre replied again staring at the man. He had woken up on the way to the cell's, and had been chosen to be questioned first. The man in front of him was growing angrier and angrier with him.  
  
*CRACK*  
  
Quatre winced slightly as the whip met his bare back for the fifth time. He would not cry out, he would not show them fear. He wasn't all that afraid of death, he knew it was a natural part of life. "You disgust me. Tell ME!", the man lashed out slapping his face. Quatre's face flew to the side because of the force the blow was delivered. 'That's going to leave a bruise.', Quatre thought to himself, spiting out the metallic tasting fluid in his mouth. The man questioned him again and again, yet Quatre gave no answer. He only stared at the man with unnerving blue eyes, that made the man want to falter in the giving of the punishment. This look infuriated the man.   
  
*Crack*   
*Crack*  
*Crack*  
  
The whip struck a final time. Instead of angry red welts, it now drew blood. "Boy you WILL tell me.", The soldier stated with conviction.   
  
*Smack*  
  
The soldier smacked his in the side of Quatre's head, with his powerful beefy hand. Quatre's vision swam, and soon he lost consciousness. The man struck him again, then realized he was no longer awake. "Useless, boy.", he muttered ordering the lesser soldiers to put his shirt back on then to throw him in the cell with the others. He wasn't going to question any of the others that night, oh no. He needed a new plan, a new tactic to get them to speak.  
  
IN THE CELL  
  
"I wonder where Quatre is Duo wondered aloud for the fifteenth time. "Are you sure he went unconscious?", Duo continued asking the newly awakened Trowa. "He fell before me. I'm positive.", Trowa stated almost silently. He blamed himself for the capture of Innocence. The boy didn't deserve to be pulled into the war. He was too innocent, too kind, too pure. Trowa was not bound anywhere, but could not find a way out of the cell. "This was all a setup. Surely those baka doctors knew.", Wufei started malice in his voice. "Iie. The doctors did not know.", Heero replied suddenly broken out of his thoughts. He too was worried about Quatre. It was unlikely that the boy was still free, after all the rest of them were captured. "How the hell do you know Yui.", Wufei snorted loudly. "Because we are the doctors shock troops, there isn't much better than us.", Duo commented. "Then tell me baka, why are we captured?", Wufei asked him eyebrow raised. "It's a 'minor' setback, nothing gets the Shinigami!", Duo proclaimed trying to lighten the mood.   
  
Suddenly the door slammed open, and a guard carried in a prone figure, followed by four other men, heavily armed, who stood at the door. It was not wise to underestimate the Gundam pilots so they kept a gun trained on each of them. The guard carrying the comatose body laid it against the wall between Trowa and Heero. He did so almost gently, as he took great pains not to set it down too heavily. As the guard stood up he murmured to them, "Get him out of the war, there are far to few people like him left in the world. Get him out." the guard had witnessed the beating the boy had taken, and respected him for it. Even if he was an enemy, no child should be fighting a war. The man stiffly left the cell, and the other guards locked the doors securely behind them.  
  
"Quatre?", Duo asked squinting in the dim lighting. He could faintly see a sticky substance on the boys face and shirt, and assumed it to be blood. "Injustice.", Wufei muttered his eyes adjusting to the darkness. "He's alive.", Trowa stated, he had checked the boys pulse. It was slower than it should be, but it was going strong. Heero hnn'ed and vowed to kill who ever did that to his friend.  
  
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IN THE CROFT HANGER  
  
"J the base was a fake! All the pilots were captured!", Dr. S ranted over the vid phone. "You've got to send you're amateur.", Dr. S sighed, "It's all we've got.", he continued. "Keep calling me an amateur and I'll show you what this amateur can do.", Shi Tenshi stated glaring at the man on the vid phone. "I doubt you could find me.", sneered Dr. S. Serenity smirked and sat at a computer. Two minutes later she called out,"You are on Colony L1, Quadrant 3, Apartment 1485, Broad St.", Serenity stated to the man on the screen. Dr.S paled greatly, then gave an uneasy smile.  
  
"Do you accept this mission?", Dr. J asked her suddenly. "Mission Accepted.", Serenity replied gathering her necessary items. She was still wearing the same clothes from before, however she wore a concealing trench coat over it. It had small invisible pockets where medium sized gun's could fit, along with bombs and necessary items. When patted down you couldn't find the pockets of feel the weapons. She grabbed a wad of chewing gum and popped it in her mouth. With a smirk she strapped a few gun's to her thighs, just so Oz would have something to take off. Two black heart shaped clips in her hair were actually bombs. With a smirk she jumped into her Gundam and took off.   
  
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Thanks for all the kind wonderful reviews again! Someone asked if it could be Trowa/Usa. I don't think it will be because personally I don't care for the couple, I never did. And if I don't like it when I write it, you know it's gonna suck.   
Please Review!  
  
Much Love ~*SerenityMoon*~ 


	3. Hello Minako. Holy Heero! Poor Duo. Good...

Author: ~*SerenityMoon*~  
Title: ~*Welcome to My World*~  
Chapter: ~* Three*~  
  
Hey, Gomen this chapter is late, but my Internet has been down for nearly a month.   
  
*I Don't Own the song in here, it's in *----*, Savage Garden made it.  
  
If you wish to see the evil, petty, disclaimer that asinine law firms make you write, see the first chappie. K? K.  
  
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LAST TIME  
  
"Do you accept this mission?", Dr. J asked her suddenly. "Mission Accepted.", Serenity replied gathering her necessary items. She was still wearing the same clothes from before, however she wore a concealing trench coat over it. It had small invisible pockets where medium sized gun's could fit, along with bombs and necessary items. When patted down you couldn't find the pockets or feel the weapons. She grabbed a wad of chewing gum and popped it in her mouth. With a smirk she strapped a few gun's to her thighs, just so Oz would have something to take off. Two black heart shaped clips in her hair were actually bombs. With a smirk she jumped into her Gundam and took off.   
  
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WITH SERENITY  
  
She jumped out of her Gundam steadily, walking at her own leisurely will.  
  
'Thank Kami for shielding mechanisms.', she thought decidedly.   
  
A plan had already taken place in her mind, the only thing left was to execute the plan, and they would be in and out. She had already retrieved the disk from the other side of the base without anyone noticing.   
  
"Let's make those doctor's proud Apollo.", she murmured to the bird flying in the sky, who gave a loud screech in response.   
  
Her mission was to complete what the G-boys had failed, and to bring all five of them back to her base. She walked out in the middle of the Oz patrol yard unnoticed. Then she shot off three shots, attracting every guards attention in a mile radius. The search lights were trained on her, and in seconds around twenty guns were pointed at her. She raised both hands in the air, the gun back at her waist.   
  
"What are you doing here?", one guard asked shamelessly roaming her body with his eyes.   
  
"Well, you see, Mr. Guard Sir, you seem to have my boyfriend. And I want him back.", she stated turning at batting her eyelashes at him innocently.   
  
"Search her.", the guard ordered.   
  
Two men stepped out of line, and quickly patted her down, finding two small handguns on her thighs, in a thigh holster.   
  
"Two issue 47 handguns sir. Nothing else.", the guard reported handing the gun to his superior.   
  
"Who's your boyfriend, sweetie?", one guard asked also eyeing her.   
  
'Men, such pigs.', she thought in disgust.   
  
"Gundam Pilot 01.", she replied in a cold voice, earning widening eyes, and disbelieving stares.   
  
"Oh, really? Well let's go see what he says. A young girl firing off guns in an Oz base is a serious offense. Take her away.", the one in charge stated lowering his gun and watching three men take her towards the cells.   
  
"Make sure she's locked up. Sarge 'll see her in the morning.", he called as he continued his rounds.  
  
IN THE BASE  
  
"When do you think he's gonna wake up?", Duo asked his head resting on his wrists which were raw from friction.   
  
"Don't know.", Trowa replied softly almost inaudible.   
  
Heero sat against the wall eyes closed, much like Wufei, although Wufei was meditating. Heero was positive if they didn't break out soon, the Innocence would die. Although he had killed many soldiers in his lifetime, the thought of Quatre dying disturbed him. Wufei pondered an escape route in his head.   
  
'We could sneak out when the guards come, but Quatre would be dead weight, and we wouldn't be able to escape fast enough. Plus that would be useless anyway, considering they are heavily guarded. Weak Onna's.', he muttered in his mind.   
  
Leaving Quatre was not an option, the young man was more than just a comrade. He had become a friend in such short time. Suddenly his eyes snapped open as he heard noise.   
  
"Let me go you weak BAKA'S!", a female voice raged.   
  
"Sure we'll let you go, babe , straight to our barracks.", one guard joked.   
  
Light flooded the holding cell area, as they heard the sound of scuffling feet.   
  
"I dare you to touch my ass again.", came the female's voice in a cold deadly monotone that spoke more volumes that her previous screaming.   
  
"Oh, and what are you going to do about it?", the same guard retorted. "Castrate you and change your religion.", came her reply in the same tone of voice.   
  
Duo couldn't help but smirk, the girl had spunk. Wufei stared at the cell doors, an eyebrow raised at the girls choice of words.   
  
"Aww, you know you want it sweetie.", the same guard replied, finally coming into their view.   
  
The girl in question, jerked away from the two guards holding her arms, and kneed the hormone driven guard in the groin area. Before the other two guards could recover, she lashed out and punched the man in the nose.   
  
"AHHHHHH!!! BITCH!", the guard screamed as her knee came into view, the sharp tip of the top of the boot bloody. She was going to swing again, but was restrained, just in the nick of time.   
  
"Let me GO!", she growled angrily, while one guard unlocked the Gundam Pilots cell.   
  
As one guard tried to push her in the cell her hand grasped the door frame, right where the lock should bolt.   
  
"Get her in there Fred! Moody's in real bad shape here, I think she really cut it off!", one of the guards yelled.   
  
"Stupid, wench!", the guard holding her elbows growled, suddenly rearing her back, and throwing her in the cell. She flew off the ground and smacked her back on the wall with a sickening crack. She slid to the ground and didn't get back up again.   
  
"Have fun with her 01.", the man who threw her in the cell called while all Heero did was glare.   
  
"Come on, Moody, it's not completely cut off, if we hurry they can sew it back on.", the guard that had yet to be named stated.   
  
"Shut up Dave, his damn nose is broken too.", Fred retorted helping Moody up.   
  
"She told him not to touch her ass, it's his fault.", the other one replied helping him down the hallway.   
  
"Come on, let's get outta here.", Fred replied, as they shut the main door leaving the lights on.  
  
"Baka's.", the girl muttered, standing up and stretching like a neko.   
  
Trowa watched her with mild interest. She had just been slammed into a wall, quite hard judging by the sound it made, and now she was standing up no problem.   
  
"Are you the Gundam pilots?", she questioned leaning against the wall.   
  
"Who wants to know?", Duo snorted standing up.   
  
They couldn't trust anyone in Oz. Even if she was a babe, one of his friends had been hurt already he wouldn't allow another.   
  
"Dr. J.", she replied pushing herself off the wall, and taking off her coat, laying it on the ground.   
  
"Who are you, onna?", Wufei demanded standing up also.   
  
"Shi Tenshi, pilot 06 of Gundam Tsuki Hoshi.", she replied pulling a switchblade out of her boot.   
  
At the same instant all the boys realized exactly what she said, and their eyes widened.   
  
'Now they've got weak Onna's doing this........... baka's.', Wufei thought.   
  
She stalked towards Duo and pulled his hands infront of her. She had stuck the tip of the blade into the lock of the cuffs, when Duo jerked away.   
  
"Hold still, do you want out of these or not 02?", she questioned deeming him the pilot of Death Scythe, due to his long braid.   
  
Duo didn't reply as he replaced his wrists. She stuck the blade in the lock prying it open, then jamming the switchblade hard into the hole. With an audible click it opened, and fell off his wrists. She then swerved around Duo to Wufei who was bound with thick rope. She quickly hacked through it, and then turned to Heero who was now standing up silently. She did the same thing she did to Duo however instead of letting her go, Heero grabbed her shoulders and slammed her into a wall.   
  
"Who do you work for?", he asked in monotone squeezing her wrists, making her drop the knife.   
  
"Dr.J.", she replied jerking out of his grasp, grabbing her dropped knife, and flipping over him to her out stretched out coat.   
  
Slicing down the inside of the middle, she threw two inner layers of padding out. Then she split it the rest of the way open, revealing an arsenal of weapons. Duo whistled appreciatively, and eyes a few of them, with a child like glee. She grabbed two guns identical to her Kassan's and four extra clips for each side. She attached them to her thigh holster, and put the guns in place, placing the switchblade back in her boot.   
  
"01?", she called out tossing two smaller guns at him which he caught effortlessly.   
  
"02?", she continued throwing him a knife, with drugged darts.   
  
"03?", she called out tossing a gun with a knife.   
  
"04?", she continued, sensing no response she looked up and glanced around.   
  
It was then that she realized the boy leaning on the wall was unconscious. He looked strangely familiar to her.   
  
'Quatre.', she thought absentmindedly.   
  
'Iie, Quatre is gone.', she thought to herself blinking and turning away.   
  
"05?", she continued fighting back a sting of tears as she remembered the blood seeping through 04's clothes.   
  
She threw him a long knife with a small gun.   
  
"Grab 04, and let's move. I've already retrieved your oh, so important disk, so all we have to do is get out.", she started walking towards the wrought iron bars.   
  
"Oh, and how pray tell do you plan to get us out, onna.", Wufei snorted.   
  
"The miracles of chewing gum.", she replied going back to the empty coat pulling a small spray bottle out of it.   
  
She took the wad of gum from her mouth and spread it all around the lock hole, then she sprayed it. The gum fizzed a greenish tint while the iron started to melt away.   
  
"Acid Chemical Reaction.", she replied waiting a second then spraying a little more. Then she suddenly wrenched the door open, and the still melting lock fell to the floor with a resonating clang, then disintegrated into nothing.   
  
"What are you all waiting for?", she questioned them walking out quickly.  
  
Duo smiled slightly and followed her, he was convinced she was on their side. After all she was a Gundam pilot, and she had gotten them out of the cell. In a way he figured she had let the guards take her to the cells, just to look weaker than she really was. She slinked down the hallway in the shadows, for all the world acting like Heero.   
  
'Heero? Female Heero? GREAT.', he thought sarcastically watching Trowa's back as he was carrying Quatre.   
  
"Get her!", he heard men scream suddenly from ahead of him.   
  
In six quick disturbances of air, all six men were dead.   
  
'Whoa.', Duo thought ogling the girl now that he could see her better.   
  
"The exit is just up ahead.", the girl murmured to them back pressed against the wall.   
  
"Where are your Gundam's?", she questioned stopping suddenly.   
  
"N12 , by E26.", Trowa calmly replied careful not to hurt the boy in his arms.   
  
"I was right then. My Gundam is right next to yours, I could see the air disturbance.", she continued softly motioning them to follow her.   
  
"Dr. J said for me to bring you guys back to my base because it's closer.", she continued receiving a 'hnnn' from Heero.   
  
A burst of cool fresh air hit them in the face as they walked cautiously outside. Heero now lead the way shooting all that got in his way. Silencers were a great thing. Serenity and Wufei both flanked Trowa and Quatre, while Duo stood behind Trowa, taking care of the back. In around fifteen tense minutes later they still had not gotten to their Gundam's. That's when they heard the alarms go off.   
  
"The pilots have escaped! Hurry they can't be far!", they heard shouts call closer and closer.   
  
"Haul ass people.", Serenity muttered pushing Trowa infront of her and pushing him quicker than he was walking. Soon enough Heero's foot touched invisible solid gundanium.   
  
"I'll take 04 if you want.", Serenity offered holding her arms out.   
  
"I promise I won't hurt him, but there's more room in my Gundam because I'm smaller than you.", Serenity explained with hurried movements.   
  
As if perplexed for the moment he carefully handed Quatre to Serenity.   
  
'Hey, Tsuki , how bout a little help down here?', she asked mentally as her Gundam suddenly shimmered into existence, and the eyes glowed icy blue.   
  
A deep icy cold color that reminded her so much of 01. The four boys stared in awe as the Gundam carefully bowed it's head at her, then kneeled in front of her. It placed it's metallic fingers infront of it's chest creating a makeshift stair well. In a few quick jumps Serenity was almost into the Gundam as she strained against the weight in her arms.   
  
"Hold it!", called out a voice as a guard crashed through the brush.   
  
Noticing Serenity about to leave he shot at her. A falcon with blue eyes swooped down and scratched the man's eyes. Serenity twisted in such a fashion that the bullet would hit her and not the already battered boy in her arms. The bullet lodged itself into her shoulder blade and she nearly dropped 04. Heero whipped out his gun and shot the man in the forehead, using a silencer. Serenity staggered all the way into the Gundam and the hatch closed. She buckled him into the seat belt and sat down beside him.   
  
"Kuso.", she cursed as she realized moving her arm was going to be a big problem.   
  
'Oh well, I'll have to do my best. Time to complete my mission.', she thought to herself, as her Gundam suddenly jerked upright.   
  
"Hey boys you might was to get in the air.", she started as she saw the last of the boys hatches close.   
  
She then started to open the crystal metallic like wings on the Gundams back.   
  
"Why?", Duo questioned in the process of blasting off, her vid link closing.   
  
His eyes widened as he caught sight of the wings on the Gundam. As soon as she was in the air she whipped out a buster riffle. She charged the energy, and then suddenly shot it off releasing a white hot beam. As the beam hit the base she realized she was too close to the blast. The other Gundams were up higher than she was and wouldn't be hit, but she would be caught in the inferno. In a quick action the translucent wings closed over the Gundam shielding it from the blaze. As the smoke cleared away her Gundam stood amidst the flames, then rose in the air.   
  
"Your mission, boys, from Dr. J is to accompany me to my base. If you do not choose to accept I'll just have to force you to go. Understand?", she questioned as the screen flicked onto 04.   
  
"Yeah, Jeeze lady. Lead the way.", Duo replied to her with a wink. Heero turned off the vid com, along with Wufei, and Duo. Trowa however stared at her with one visible eye, a question in his gaze.   
  
"I'm not going to hurt 04, 03. It was only a scare tactic to get stubborn Gundam pilots such as 05 to come with me.", she explained feeling slightly woozy from the lack of blood.   
  
Trowa nodded and flew next to her as she lead the way home. Dawn peeked over the horizon promising a new day of war, trials, and peace.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
WESTCROFT HANGER  
  
"Dr. J, they're coming in!", called Bryce happily opening the door.   
  
"It's about time.", Dr. J huffed walking over to meet them.   
  
The three Gundam pilot's Gundams flew in first, followed by the new Gundam. As soon as the hatches opened the four boys slid out of the mecha's and landed infront of Dr. J. Serenity's wings flexed then closed as her Gundams eyes glowed. The hatch opened and the Gundam placed it's hand in front of the cock pit, as Serenity stepped out into it's hand. It slowly, carefully lowered her and and the unconscious Quatre to the bridge. As Serenity carefully stepped off the Gundam she nearly buckled at the weight in her arms. The Gundam nodded at her closed it's hatch, and walked over to it's resting place. As it reached it's spot it's eyes stopped glowing.   
  
"Dude.", Duo muttered eyeing the girl.   
  
"Hey Bryce, make yourself useful and take him to the upstairs infirmary. Tell Hilary to prepare five rooms, but until this one wakes up, he'll stay in my room.", Serenity ordered with a smile of gratitude as he effortlessly lifted the boy into his arms.   
  
" You really should take care of that.", Bryce told her respectively just noticing her heavily bleeding arm.   
  
"It's fine, Bryce, I've had worse.", she stated waving it off.   
  
Suddenly in a flutter of wings the black falcon that had scratched the guard flew into the room.   
  
"Apollo!", Serenity called eyes twinkling, as she held out her good arm.   
  
The hawk screeched and landed on her skin, lightly so not to pierce her with his falcons. The bird leaned up and affectionately nipped at her chin, while she painfully stroked his back feathers, smoothing them out. Serenity laughed slightly as the bird ruffled it's wings and snuggled against her chest, closing it's eyes contentedly.   
  
"Dr. J.", Heero stated in a chilling monotone, staring hard at the doctor.   
  
"Ahh, I'm assuming your all wondering who this amazing young lady is.", the doctor started amused at the looks on the pilots faces.   
  
"If you would please introduce yourselves to her......", he continued watching intently.   
  
"I'm Duo Maxwell, I may run, I may hide, but I won't tell a lie.", Duo started winking at her.   
  
"Trowa Barton.", Trowa stated nodding at her slightly.   
  
"Chang Wufei, onna.", Wufei bit out a bit embarrassed at being saved by a female.   
  
"Heero Yui.", came the cold monotone, sending the room into silence.   
  
"It's nice to finally know who you are.", Serenity commented lightly as Apollo flew out of her arms,"Considering the fact that J wouldn't even allow me to see a picture of any of you. Let alone be told your names."   
  
" And what's your name, babe?", Duo questioned slyly, hoping to score.   
  
She was obviously on their side, otherwise she wouldn't be a pilot, so a bit of flirting wouldn't hurt.   
  
"I am Lady Serenity Usagi Croft.", Serenity stated as etiquette had taught her, bowing at the waist.   
  
Duo's, and Wufei's eyes bugged out, as she bowed respectfully to them.   
  
"Serenity C-Croft?", Duo sputtered out blinking rapidly.   
  
"You called?", she smirked, tempted to laugh.   
  
"Iie, you cannot be her, Serenity Croft is nothing but a weak pampered spoiled brat.", Wufei snorted the shock leaving him as he realized that couldn't be true.   
  
This Onna was quick minded, and nothing like the brat. He had met Serenity Croft before he was a pilot, when she and her Kassan had taken a trip. Apparently Lara Croft had connections with his clan, and was welcomed with open arms. Serenity Croft had refused to fish, hunt, or do anything of use. All she did was stay at her Kassans side and work with technical things. This Onna and Serenity Croft had nothing in common, except maybe the stance they both took when apparently angry.   
  
"Dr. J onegai explain to him that I am who I say I am. Then give him to me when I get this damn bullet out of my shoulder, so I can stick my foot up his ass.", Serenity snapped stalking angrily out of the room. She did NOT appreciate being called weak, or spoiled, let alone a brat.  
  
"Ouch, Wu-man got burned. That's gotta sting.", Duo chortled laughing at the sputtering pilot.   
  
"DIE MAXWELL!!", Wufei yelled unsheathing his beloved katana that he had left in Trowa's Gundam.   
  
"Ahhh! Trowa! Save me!", Duo yelped diving behind the taller boy.   
  
"Barton, Get out of my WAY!", Wufei roared tightening his grip on the sword.   
  
Trowa shrugged and got out of his way, like any sensible solider should.   
  
"That braid is MINE, Maxwell!", Wufei threatened chasing the boy around the Dr.   
  
"Ahhh, Iie! My baby!", Duo yelled as he pulled his braid infront of him, avoiding it being sliced off.   
  
*BAM**BAM*BAM*  
  
Heero held his gun up in the air, smoke coming from the nozzle.   
  
"You do realize Lady Serenity is going to kill you for putting holes in her ceiling.", came a voice from the hallway as Hilary rounded the corner.   
  
"State your purpose.", Heero uttered at the man leveling the gun at point blank range.   
  
"Don't point that at people, you might accidentally shoot someone. I only came down here to inform you all that your rooms are ready.", Hilary replied seeming unfazed by the presence of a gun pointing at him.   
  
"You may retire for the night now, or you may wait for the Lady of the house to accompany you.", Hilary continued turning around.   
  
"We'll wait.", Trowa replied wanting to find out something's from Dr. J.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE MEDICAL LAB  
  
"Kuso.", Serenity muttered as she pulled at the bullet in her shoulder bade with a sterilized pair of tweezers.   
  
She bit her lip so hard blood flowed, and her eyes stung with tears.   
  
'Damn that hurts.', she thought in her head as she finally got it out.   
  
With a repulsed glare she picked up the alcohol and started to dab it on her wound. She unintentionally screamed as it touched her. Dropping the cotton she clamped her hand over her shoulder and concentrated. She didn't care if her Kassan had told her never to use her powers unless necessary, to her this WAS necessary. A small silver glow flew from her fingertips, and her wound sealed up.   
  
'Long sleeves and sweatshirts for me.', she thought darkly.   
  
If one of the pilots had noticed the lack of a wound on her arm, she would have far too much explaining to do. She walked out of the room, and went to the room she had used during training. She quickly hopped into the shower and washed off all the blood that had collected on her skin, and in her hair. She grabbed black flare jeans, with a blue angora sweater. She took her hair down and placed it in an odd ball shaped style. Two buns were perched on her head, with long streamers with silvery blonde hair flowing from them. Smiling in satisfaction she put on a pair of blue sketchers, and walked out of the room.   
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE HANGAR   
  
"She is the one and only Lady Serenity.", Dr. J confirmed for the tenth time since the arguing had stopped.   
  
"She's a Onna.", Wufei pointed out, a bit put out, after being wrong.   
  
"Hai, an onna.", Dr. J replied most nearly tempted to roll his eyes at 05.   
  
"A weak Onna.", Wufei continued throwing a glare the doctors way.   
  
"Iie, she is NOT weak. If she fought you, I assure you, that you would not win.", Dr. J replied.   
  
Wufei snorted and turned away in disbelief.   
  
"Why weren't we informed of 06?", Heero asked suddenly from his spot against the wall.   
  
"Because 06 was not trained from a young age like you. She started her training just recently.", J replied coolly disregarding the boys gaze.   
  
"Just started?", inquired Duo from his spot in the computer chair. You wouldn't believe the fun you can have with a computer chair.   
  
" A month and a half ago I believe.", Dr. J continued watching as Duo's jaw dropped.   
  
"That's not possible, It took us years to learn how to operate a Gundam and fight.", Duo retorted pushing his jaw back up.   
  
"Oh, but it is. Understand boys that her Okassan is Lara Croft, she has been trained since birth in the ways of fighting and survival. Most of the tests I gave her were complete child's play. It is well known that the Croft lineage has a few strange abilities, and learning things, quickly, and easily is one of them. Wufei, when she went to go visit your clan, she wanted to fish and hunt, however she was stuck inside perfecting her hacking skills. Hell, she found Dr. S in two minutes.", he explained pushing up his glasses.   
  
"Is this the same Serenity Croft that Quatre was friends with", Duo spoke up suddenly.   
  
"Hai, I'm afraid she hasn't realized it is Quatre yet, she had thought it was, but banished it from her mind.", he continued turning as he heard foot steps coming from the direction of the lab.   
  
"J, I swear to Kami if you don't get some less painful antiseptic back there, you will die a horrible, not to mention highly painful death.", Serenity grumbled as she watched Shiro pace irritably in the shadows.   
  
"Shiro-chan?", Serenity called watching the tiger eye the boys.   
  
'Shiro-chan?', thought the boys at the same time each scanning part of the room for an intruder.   
  
In a black and white blur, the tiger raced past the boys and skid to a stop infront of Serenity. As Duo took a step forward Shiro let out a menacing growl, as Duo continued another step, the mighty beast roared in rage. The noise reverberated throughout the entire hangar, and then continued to make all the pilots step back.   
  
"Shiro-chan.", Serenity scolded in a mocking tone.   
  
" I'm sorry he doesn't trust new people very easily.", Serenity explained while Duo cowered behind Trowa.   
  
"Is that thing tame?", asked Duo tentatively.   
  
"Of course he is, he wouldn't hurt anyone.", Serenity laughed patting the now purring tiger behind the ears.   
  
"Unless I tell him to.", she continued as her voice changed into that of a soldier.   
  
Trowa got her point loud and clear. Serenity still didn't trust them with a ten foot pole, and that was probably a good thing.   
  
"Call off your beast Onna.", Wufei ordered leveling his Katana at it. If Shiro could have smirked he would have.   
  
'Baka.', the tiger thought watching his fuming mistress.   
  
"I have a name Wufei Chang, use it.", Serenity retorted eyes flashing.   
  
"Why don't you make me Onna.", Wufei shot back, angry that she defied him.   
  
Serenity stomped up to him and in a few quick movements his katana was   
knocked aside.   
  
She then proceeded to poke him in the chest accentuating each word.   
  
"You are the most, ignorant, pig headed, chauvinistic, ego-maniac, jerk, that I have EVER had the immense displeasure of meeting!", she stated in a deadly voice eyes burning holes into his.   
  
"And I don't waste MY time, with people like YOU.", she bit out.   
  
*SMACK*  
  
Serenity slapped him, and turned on her heal, the exquisite tiger following her. She headed out towards the 'elevator' and was soon on her way to her home.   
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
BACK IN THE HANGER  
  
"Dude.", Duo commented watching her stomp out of the room, hair flowing behind her.   
  
Wufei stared speechless as his cheek burned angrily. Glancing at his face in the polished steel he knew he was going to have a bruise.   
  
"I think that's enough for tonight.", Dr. J interrupted, walking towards the same way Serenity went.   
  
"Get some sleep boys.", he commented to the youths following him.   
  
"Hai, sir!", Duo mock saluted trying to break the tension.   
  
"Shut-up baka.", Wufei muttered darkly, while Duo retorted by sticking his tongue out at him.   
  
"Please buckle up, and when your ready press the go button.", Dr. J instructed as each of the boys eyed it suspiciously.   
  
"Good night.", Dr.J called as the doors slid shut, and light flooded the tiny room.   
  
"Hnn.", Heero stated pressing the button just as Duo buckled up.   
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE LIVING ROOM OF CROFT MANSION  
  
"So, Hilary, how is 04 doing?", Serenity questioned as she continued to hook up her bungee harness.   
  
"You mean Quatre?", Hilary questioned from his dusting spot.   
  
"Q-Quatre?", she stuttered, she never had found out 04's name.   
  
"Hai, Lady Croft, Quatre Winner. You must remember him.", the wise old butler replied climbing down from his ladder.   
  
"Hai, I do remember him. I -I just never knew he was a pilot.", Serenity replied smoothly, covering up her shock.   
  
She had never thought that kind Quatre could become a pilot.   
  
'So that was why he left.', Serenity mused turning on her stereo, then turning it up as high as it would go.   
  
She had reasons for putting 04 in her room, he would need his sleep, and her room was sound proof so she wouldn't wake him. She had changed her clothes for that of a long sleeved baby blue, button up, silk pj shirt with matching draw string pants. The CD that blasted out of her player made her smile.   
  
*She's taking her time making up the reasons*  
* To justify all the hurt inside*  
  
She heard the lyrics and stood up on the fourth floor railing, spreading her arms like a bird she dove off the railing, relishing in the feeling of being free. Inches off the ground her bungee cord tensed and caused her to fly back towards the ceiling. Hilary bopped his feather duster to the tune of the music, moving his head from side to side.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
WITH THE BOYS  
  
"I am so going to do that again!", Duo exclaimed happily walking infront of the boys.   
  
"Hey, who's in here?", a voice called out from behind a huge, nearly destroyed robot.   
  
Suddenly it spit out a disk which landed in front of the boys. It read 'Serenity's Party Mixx'. Trowa picked up the disk and watched as the robot started to spark.   
  
"It's us!", Duo chirped coming from around the other side of the robot.   
  
Bryce pushed up his goggles and looked.   
  
"Oh, hey, if you'd just wait a second I'll get Hilary to show you to yours rooms.", he commented taking the goggles off all the way.   
  
"What happened to this thing?", Duo asked his nose wrinkled.   
  
"Serenity trained with it. She somehow found a way into the circuit board and rewired it to play her music, instead of attacking her. I STILL don't know how she did it. If she was going to rewire it she should at least laid off the guns.", Bryce explained pointing to the metal swiss cheese.   
  
*Every one's got a theory about the bitter one.*  
*That's why she shies away from human affection,*  
*But somewhere in a private place she packs her bags for outer space*  
*And now she's waiting for the right kind of pilot to come*  
  
Heero cocked his head to the side as he heard the music filtering through the air.   
  
"She must be bungee jumping again.", Bryce commented leading out the lab doors.  
  
*I would fly to the moon and back, if you'll be ........*  
*If you'll be my baby.*  
*Get a ticket for a world where we belong*  
*So will you be my baby?*  
  
They turned and twisted down the halls following the music, while it continued to get louder.  
  
*She can't remember a time when she felt needed*  
*If love was red than she was color blind*  
*All her friends, they've been tried for treason.*   
*And crimes that were never defined*  
  
Duo walked briskly, finding himself humming the words, realizing the song to be that of a popular, yet older, band.   
  
*She's saying,"Love is like a barren place",*  
*And reaching out for human faith*  
*Is like a journey I just don't have a map for*  
  
They rounded another corner and could just see blue flutter down then fly back into the air just as quickly.   
  
'What was that?', Trowa wondered watching as it came down a few minutes later.  
  
*Send a signal that she's*  
* Hanging all her hopes on the stars*   
*What a pleasant dream.....*  
  
Bryce motioned them to enter the room from the far side of the hall, so they wouldn't make contact with the fluttering blue object. As they entered the room they saw Serenity attached to a bungee cord, eyes closed. She flipped and turned in as many different positions as possible.  
  
*Get a ticket for the world where we belong*  
*So would you be my baby?*  
*Hold on*  
*5, 4, 3, 2,1*  
*Hold on*  
  
The song then launched into an instrumental part as Serenity's movements became more graceful and long. Near the end of the song she unbuckled one side of the harness, and she started spinning, faster than the eye could follow. Suddenly she unbuckled the other side of the harness, and she fell towards the ground. Duo tensed and prepared to catch her, however he noticed the way she was going to land, and if it hurt any one it was going to hurt him. As the music stopped she landed on one knee in front of them eyes wide open.   
  
"Hai.", she asked calmly standing up.   
  
Bungee jumping had always relaxed her nerves.   
  
"We were looking for our rooms.", Trowa stated in a soft tone.   
  
Serenity glanced around looking for Hilary. Apparently he had left to go to another room.   
  
"I can show you where they are.", Serenity replied slowly as a sudden thought appeared in her head.   
  
"Hey, Bryce do you still have the plans for that security system?", she asked taking the harness off her waist.   
  
"Hai, Serenity-chan, Why?", Bryce asked confused.   
  
"Good, I want them installed by tomorrow night. Things aren't going to be so peaceful around here any more.", Serenity started, but then glanced back at him,"Get some sleep, you look like the dead.", She told him walking away with the boys in tow.  
  
"To make it easy on you, all your rooms are on the second floor, except Quatre's. His is on the third floor down the hall from mine.", Serenity commented walking briskly up the stairs.   
  
"Hey, Dr. J said you didn't know that was Quatre.", Duo interrupted, as Serenity turned to grin at him.   
  
"I didn't know until Hilary told me.", she replied turning down the hall.   
  
"If you have any questions, just go to the big oak doors with the carvings on the third floor, or walk around till you find someone. There are various maids, servants, and whatnot.", Serenity continued as if Duo's question had never been asked.   
  
"Any way, Duo this is your room.", she told them opening a double door.   
  
The huge room was decorated in darker shades, and Duo hopped into the room yelling, "Cool!".   
  
"You'll find clothes in each of your closets that fit your taste.", Serenity told them all, then turning to walk out leaving Duo to his own devices, which consisted of jumping on the bed.   
  
"Chang, this is yours.", Serenity stated coldly still pissed at him.   
  
She threw open the door, and revealed a large room decorated in various shades of red. Serenity then turned on her heal, with the other two boys followed her.   
  
"Why is Quatre's room on the third floor?", Trowa asked suddenly breaking the silence that had ensued.   
  
"Because that's where his room always was. When his father had to go on business trips, and his sisters were busy, he'd stay here with us.", she explained turning down another hallway.   
  
"Here you go Trowa.", she stated opening a door decorated in a forest green colors. Trowa gave her a nod of gratitude and quickly slipped into the room. They then continued on to another room down the hall a ways.   
  
"Heero, I know you don't like me on this little team of yours.", she started quietly, keeping her gaze on the hall.   
  
"Hn.", Heero replied in a monotone.   
  
"However you will have to learn to like it. I will be here until this war is over, so we might as well get along now.", she muttered opening a door.   
  
The room was decorated in shades of dark blue and black, with a laptop in the corner.   
  
"That laptop is the best on the market, don't go blowing it up.", Serenity scolded lightly backing away and shutting the door softly.   
  
Serenity breathed a sigh of relief as she walked away from Heero's room. The boy unnerved her for some odd reason. It was probably for the fact that she couldn't feel his emotions very well. Usually, by just looking at a person she could tell what kind of person that person was like. Wufei just plain and simple annoyed her and pissed her off all at the same time, which really wasn't a good habit to get into. Duo really wasn't all that bad, just purposely acting naive. Trowa was quiet and perceptive, actually kind of interesting. With a sigh she walked up the grand staircase towards her room. Tonight she would watch Quatre, tomorrow she would sleep.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
WITH LARA AND ALEX  
  
"Well, this is relatively easy.", Alex murmured aloud as he and his wife read the hieroglyphics adorning the wall.   
  
"Don't count your chickens before they hatch Alex.", Lara replied as she came to a break in the writing.   
  
"What?", he asked as she touched the stone wall.   
  
"Shit.", she stated flickering her flashlight onto a higher power.   
  
"The break means there's a break, or a pit, somewhere in here, and we, meaning you and me, really should watch out for it, unless you fancy scorpions.", she continued walking cautiously, down the narrow passage way.   
  
Alex made a grimace at the word scorpions, he wasn't very fond of the little creatures.   
  
"Lean against the wall!", Lara yelled as she saw a metallic glimmer in the distance.   
  
A round blade came flying down the hall, tearing up the dirt where, seconds ago, they had just occupied.   
  
"We really need to be more careful.", Alex reminded as he reread some of the ancient writing.   
  
"Wait, that's the trap.", Lara stated noticing the sudden darkness in the floor.   
  
"Which means----", Lara started checking out the wall opposite to them.   
  
"That the door is right here.", Alex finished for her pushing open the wall which was actually a door.   
  
"Oh, my..........", Alex trailed off as he walked into the new room.   
  
"My thoughts exactly.", Lara agreed as she observed the large stone emperor.   
  
It was surrounded by gold and jewels of all kinds.   
  
"Let's find that Gemini Diamond.", Alex murmured stepping forward.   
  
"Stop!", Lara started, but it was too late Alex stepped into a trap. A rope closed around his leg and he was soon lifted into the air.   
  
"How many times do I have to tell you, think before you act.", Lara scolded laughing at him.   
  
The blood was rushing to his face as he hung upside down by one foot.   
  
"Lara, onegai get me down?", Alex requested, using a puppy face.   
  
"Nope, get your self down.", Lara replied laughing at him still.   
  
"It's not funny!", Alex fumed fighting with the rope on his foot.   
  
"Hai, it is.", Lara corrected smirking.   
  
"I think Serenity would like to see this.", Lara continued pulling a small disposable camera out of her pouch.   
  
"You wouldn't.", Alex begged eyes wide.   
  
"I would.", she replied snapping off the camera numerous times while Alex tried to cover his face.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
THE NEXT MORNING IN THE CROFT MANSION  
  
"Lady Croft! Lady Croft!", cried out Nakuru, one of Serenity's handmaids.   
  
"Wha--?", Serenity asked a bit of drool coming out of her mouth.   
  
She had fallen asleep around six a.m., not being used to staying up late on very little energy. She looked up and saw Quatre still sleeping, as she had fallen asleep in the chair leaning on the large canopy bed.   
  
" Lady Aino is here!", Nakuru announced more softly noting the sleeping boy.   
  
Serenity's eyes widened as she looked at the clock and realized it was one in the afternoon. Then they widened even more as she realized exactly who was visiting her. She virtually flew into her wardrobe, grabbed a forest green sun dress, and ran to the shower. Ten minutes later she came out with her hair dried, and curled in tiny ringlets, flowing freely down her back. She tied a matching green scarf on her neck, and slipped on matching sandals. She applied a bit of lip gloss, and literally flew out of the room, past Nakuru, and down the hall.   
  
Serenity ran down the first flight of stairs, straight past Heero, and walked more slowly down the rest of them, catching her breath.   
  
"Serenity, oh, my darling chibi niece.", cried out her 'Aunt' Rachel Aino.   
  
Rachel Aino was a very distant relative of her mother, and the only other living relative of the Croft family, aside from her daughter, who happened to be just a couple of months older than Serenity. Serenity gave a bright pasted on smile and tried to breath as her Aunt squeezed the air out of her.   
  
"When I heard your parents was leaving for six months, I just had to do something about it!", she crooned as if Serenity was a two year old.   
  
Serenity grimaced as she tried to breathe, and suddenly heard snickers to the left of her vision. She then heard snickers from above her head as well. She finally pried herself out of Rachel's arms. Rachel stood back and gave Serenity a good once over.   
  
"Your such a beautiful young lady, I'm so glad you wear more feminine clothing, unlike your mother.", Rachel told her with a slight scowl as she thought of her beloved 'sisters' attire.   
  
"Yeah.......", Serenity trailed off shakily as she heard more snickering from both places.   
  
"Really, Kassan, let her breathe.", a feminine voice scolded from Serenity's left.   
  
"Oh, hush Minako.", Rachel scolded lightly turning to her child.   
  
"I can tell when I'm not wanted.", Minako sniffed pretending to be hurt.   
  
Her blue eyes watered, and she started to walk away.   
  
"Awww, mummy's sorry, how can I make it up to you?", Rachel apologized falling hook, line, and sinker for Minako's ploy.   
  
This time Serenity looked up when she hear the snickering, and saw Duo watching the scene from behind a pillar on the second floor. She also saw Heero on the other side of the hall watching in the shadows. Wufei was nowhere in sight and, Trowa was watching from the third floor leaning on the rail, amusement showing in his visible emerald eye. Serenity smirked at Trowa and blew a silent kiss at him, letting all three of them know she knew they were there. A small tinge covered Trowa's cheeks, and his head turned away slightly.   
  
"A credit card?", Minako sniffed, looking even more pitiful than before.   
  
Rachel fished in her purse for one of her various credit cards, and finally pulled out the chosen card.   
  
"There you go, happy?", Rachel asked in a two year old voice, handing it to her daughter.   
  
"Yup!", Minako chirped happily, all previous traces of tears gone.   
  
"Any way, your mother and I decided that Minako is going to stay here with you while I go do business in Japan for three months, and in America for six months.", Rachel announced brightly.   
  
Serenity replied with a happy smile, and an enthusiastic hug for Minako.   
  
'Not good, not good, definitely not good.', Serenity mused listening to her Aunt ramble on and on.   
  
How was she going to cover up being a Gundam pilot now that Minako was staying with her?   
  
"But, girls I've got a flight to Tokyo in forty-five minutes, so I have to leave.", Rachel stated regretfully, twenty minutes later.   
  
"Bye-bye.", Minako called as she was pulled into a tight hug.   
  
"Ja ne.", Serenity replied also receiving a death hug.   
  
After a few more hugs, and a teary good-bye, on Rachel's part, the older woman left. As soon as the door shut both girls leaned against it letting loose a big whoosh of air.   
  
"Life, is good.", muttered Minako eyeing Serenity.   
  
"Nice dress, Usa-chan.", she commented mirth dancing in her eyes.   
  
"Yours is great too.", Serenity commented the same look in her eyes.   
  
Minako was wearing a spaghetti strap yellow dress that ended at the ankles with a slit to the knee. She also had a scarf on her neck only in yellow. She wore yellow sandals, and had her hair down almost like Serenity, except her hair was to her waist and was a pure golden yellow, and held back by a big red bow.   
  
"Time to change.", they stated in unison racing up the stairs to the third floor, where their rooms were.   
  
Minako's room was down the hall in the opposite direction of Quatre's. Ten minutes later they came out in a much more comfortable attire. Serenity wore navy blue flare jeans with a white long, flare sleeved baby-T with the logo 90% Angel on the front written in blue with silver sparkles. Minako wore black pleather pants and a white button up shirt with three quarter sleeves. They both wore sketchers only Serenity's were blue, and Minako's were white.   
  
"I forgot to introduce you to a few a few people who are staying here. They're friends of mine.", Serenity started as they walked down the stairs, Shiro trailing them out of nowhere.   
  
"Who are they, bishoonen?", Minako asked playfully, knowing full well that Serenity's friends were more than likely men.   
  
Her cousin didn't get along with many of the female persuasion, due to the fact that Serenity disliked most of their attitudes. Or maybe it was the fact that Serenity tended to attract many males attentions, in more ways than one. The worst part was that an older classmen had fancied her, and she in turn, had abhorred him. The man was self centered, arrogant, not to mention a conceited jerk. He thought of himself to be the best because of the fact that he was fifty-second in line for the throne of Spain. In other words if fifty one other people croaked he'd be King, highly unlikely of course. He had proposed to Serenity numerous times, and each time she turned him down cold.   
  
"Well, where are they?", Minako wondered as they continued down the stairs to the foyer, where four boys were loitering.   
  
Four boys. Four very kawaii boys. VERY kawaii boys.   
  
"Ren, onegai if those are a dream, don't ever wake me up.", she murmured as she surveyed each one.   
  
"Minna-chan?", Serenity called out to see four heads turned towards her.   
  
"This is my cousin Minako Aino. Minako, meet Heero, Duo, Trowa, and the ass.", Serenity stated sweetly flouncing down the stairs. She received a death glare from Wufei, but pointedly ignored it.   
  
"Actually, his name is Wufei. But I prefer ass, baka, kono yaro, anything with a derogatory meaning behind it.", Serenity explained plopping down between Duo and Heero on the couch.   
  
" Please tell me you have more cousins that look like her.", Duo commented to Serenity who rolled her eyes.   
  
"Nope, I'm the only one.", Minako replied with a wink in his general direction.   
  
"Oh, and Quatre is here too, he was injured so DO NOT wake him, or look for him, Mina.", Serenity continued seeing Minako's face brighten.   
  
She had met Quatre before and had taken a liking to him, although it was two or three years ago.   
  
"Lady Croft, The mail has arrived.", Nakuru called walking into the room, brown curls framing her face.   
  
"Arigatou, Nakuru-san, and please, call me Serenity. What do I have to do grovel and beg?", Serenity joked receiving the mail.   
  
" Fine, I won't call you that, after all it is quite confusing with your kassan. I'll just refer to you as the tabloids do, Princess Croft.", Nakuru replied a small smirk playing on her lips.   
  
"Wha--, That's worse!", Serenity cried out plopping down on the couch.   
  
Duo snickered at her misfortune, and Wufei muttered,"Weak Onna."   
  
The word 'Princess' rang in her ears and she had to shake her head to clear the fog.   
  
"That reminds me, wait just a second.", Minako muttered racing up the stairs at lightening speed.   
  
"Oooooo.... What's this?", Serenity asked opening the add.   
  
It was an advertisement for so-called quality weapons.   
  
"Junk, those things would break within two uses, max.", she muttered throwing it on the table.   
  
"I'd give it less.", Duo interrupted noticing the poor craftsmanship.   
  
"Bill.", she muttered,"Bill, Bill, Bill, Bill.", she continued putting them in a pile on the table, she'd deal with them later.   
  
"Awww, Kuso.", she muttered falling back on the couch the last letter in the pile on her lap.   
  
"Princess Croft, what would your mother, wait a minute, no your father say about that tone of language?", Nakuru scolded lightly, amused at the look of frustration on her charges face.   
  
"Nothing, Kassan would tell him to leave me alone.", Serenity smirked.   
  
"True.", mused Nakuru a thoughtful look on he face.   
  
"What's the matter Ren?", Minako asked plopping back down again, holding a newspaper in her hand.   
  
"Baka, Chiba.", Serenity replied waving the letter in the air.   
  
"I see, well open it. Maybe he's giving up.", Minako advised helpfully.   
  
"I'm sorely tempted to give in, just to save me the aggravation.", Serenity stated sourly.   
  
"Ren, come on I'd love it if bishoonen men would send me diamond rings every other week.", Mina scolded hearts in her eyes.   
  
The boys exchanged glances in question as Serenity opened it. An extravagant diamond ring fell out into her palm, and Serenity groaned.   
  
"I don't know Minako, I think this diamond is slightly smaller than the last one, maybe he is giving up.", Serenity stated sarcastically in her cousins direction.   
  
"You could sink to the bottom of the ocean with that rock.", Duo commented eyeing the ring.   
  
Minako shrugged with a sheepish grin, as Serenity read the letter.   
  
"Oh, dear god, where does he get this stuff? The Internet?", Serenity questioned laughing, as she handed the note to Minako.   
  
"Read it aloud Lady Aino.", Nakuru requested from her standing point next to Heero.   
  
Minako read the first line and cleared her throat pretending to be aristocratic.   
  
*My dear sweet Serenity,  
  
Why do you refuse me? You are almost better looking than myself, we are made for each other! Was the ring the wrong size, color? Is there something wrong with my hair, my face? No, there's nothing wrong with my face, I'm sure of it, I just checked. Is there another? Well, don't worry, I'll dispose of him for you. Why the harsh words when you replied to my last letter? I'm sure you didn't mean any of those things. After all I'm not conceited, or vain, nor am I a selfish pig. Besides hell could freeze over, and on that day we will be wed. Someday I will be King, and you ,my dear, will be my loyal Queen. I'm sure your parents would approve, after all, I am in line for the throne. Do consider my proposal, and accept.   
  
With all my love,  
  
Lord Darien Chiba*  
  
Duo was rolling on the floor in laughter at the man's stupidity.   
  
'And I thought Duo was a baka.', Heero thought his eyebrow raised *slightly*.   
  
'Weak Onna.', Wufei thought still scowling.   
  
"Nakuru take this down will you?", Serenity questioned standing up which showed a bit of stomach as she stretched.   
  
"Hai, Princess Croft.", Nakuru obliged with a smirk.   
  
"Don't call me that!", Serenity growled as Duo and Minako laughed.   
  
"Anyway,", Serenity started glaring at the two, which immediately chilled Minako to the bone," Dear Mr. Chiba.", She started as Nakuru balanced the embroidered notebook paper on the table.   
  
The notebook paper had the Croft insignia on the four corners of the paper, and was used for most nearly everything. The insignia was an upturned crescent moon, with a tiny silver eight point star in the middle. Golden lines swirled in beautiful script in the margins of the paper.   
  
"Again I decline your horrendous offer, and yet again I demand that you quit asking. I will never marry you, I will never be your wife, thus, stop courting me! If you don't I'll be forced to explain this to my father. He gets very ugly when baka men harass his daughter. Take this letter and that hideous ring, and shove them, where the god given sun chooses not to shine.", Serenity preached having written nearly the same thing millions of times.   
  
"And sign it with that stamp that has my name on it, it's so much more impersonal.", she smirked.   
  
"Isn't this a bit cruel?", Nakuru asked scrutinizing the letter.   
  
Serenity put a finger on her chin and thought, "Nope."   
  
Minako laughed then held up one of the papers.   
  
"Nakuru-san, was right, the tabloids do call you princess, just with a derogatory adjective in front of it.", Minako explained handing the paper to Heero, who passed it to Duo who snickered, who handed it to Serenity.   
  
*The Ice Princess of the Croft Mansion Strikes Again!*, read the headline on the English Channel. On the front cover was a picture of herself in the winter dress she had worn four months ago to her Aunts Winter ball. It went on with far to much rubbish as to how she ignored all men she deemed useless. Chiba was featured next to her in a black tux, that most likely cost more that her attire times four. *Lord Darien Chiba announces that the Ice Princess is considering his proposal.* That was followed by even worse rubbish on how smitten she was with the big oaf.   
  
"Ice Princess I can handle, that even works for me, but smitten? For Chiba? Not a chance.", she muttered standing up and tossing the paper in the fire place.   
  
"I thought you'd say that.", Minako replied laughter dancing in her eyes.   
  
"Soooooo..... What do you guys want to do?", Minako asked the four boys.   
  
"Hn.", Heero replied stonily placing a glare on her.   
  
"Weak baka Onna.", Wufei muttered, as Minako raised her eyebrow elegantly. 'Now I see why Ren calls him an ass.', Minako thought as she unconsciously glared at the boy.   
  
"Do you have any video games?", Duo asked hopefully glancing at Serenity.   
  
"Sure we have tons...... I've got just the one.", Serenity replied with a wink towards Minako.   
  
"Oh, I remember! You'll love it.", Minako continued a grin covering her face.   
  
Trowa gave a discrete look of suspicion as he watched the two girls. They were up to something.   
  
"Is there a gym, Onna?", Wufei asked standing up and looking her in the eye.   
  
"Yup, go straight down that hall and down three flights of stairs, to the right, up one set of stairs, go down again two more flights, then go straight, then to the left, then the third door on the right.", Serenity replied passively pointing down the hall to her right.   
  
Wufei nodded, walking away, repeating the directions in his head figuring that he was already as good as lost.  
  
Suddenly Serenity's silver watch beeped and she frowned as she stared at it.   
  
"If you'll excuse me for a moment.", she started with a slight smile. She walked into the library and flipped open her communicator.   
  
"06 you are to go with 01 and pick up the other two Gundams from Quatre's desert base. Leave as soon as you can. I've already phoned Rashid about Quatre's current state, and he said he's looking forward to seeing you again. Take your Gundam over there, and set it on auto pilot on the way back. You get Quatre's Gundam, and Heero can get Wufei's.", Dr. J informed from the tiny screen.   
  
"I heard your cousin Minako Aino is staying with you. She must have no idea that you are a pilot, or she must be eliminated, understood?".   
  
As soon as Dr. J stopped talking the screen flashed dark. It took Serenity a few moments to process the information she yelled," KUSO!".   
  
'This could present a problem.', she mused in her head tapping her finger on her chin.   
  
She'd have to leave to go with Heero soon, and she'd need a legitimate excuse, or Minako would suspect something, then she'd snoop, then she'd put herself in extreme danger. A small plan formed in her ever calculating mind, and with a slight grimace she walked out of the room.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
BACK WHERE LARA AND ALEX ARE  
  
"Aww, come on hunny. I didn't mean it!", Alex whined pitifully outside the door.   
  
"Go AWAY Alex West!", Lara yelled angrily back at him.   
  
They had tried to call Serenity from their base, when the lines had went dead. He had muttered that J had probably gotten his child killed by then, and Lara had taken it the wrong way.   
  
"I'm just as worried about her as you are!", he continued.   
  
Suddenly the door was opened and Alex sighed in relief. He started to walk in when a barrage of pillows and a blanket hit him, knocking him down.   
  
"Good NIGHT!", Lara stated slamming the door shut. Alex groaned and just lay down in the middle of the hall.   
  
'It's gonna be a long night.', he thought to himself arranging his pillows on the floor.   
  
At least he wouldn't freeze this time, last time she only gave him a sheet.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE CROFT MANSION  
  
"So babe, what's this video game like?", Duo asked nonchalantly his arms behind his head, feet resting on the table.   
  
"I can't tell you or it would take all the fun out of it.", she sniffed putting her nose in the air.   
  
Suddenly they heard Serenity yell angrily.   
  
"She's not having a good day, now is she?", Minako mused as the door opened, and Serenity walked in a sweet smile on her face. Heero continued to stare at her as she came towards them, from his perspective a little unsettled.   
  
Serenity walked in front of Heero and causally dropped down and sat in his lap.   
  
"We have a mission.", she murmured discretely as she settled herself comfortably into his lap, Her head leaning back on his shoulder.   
  
He gave a small nod of understanding as the initial shock of Serenity in his lap passed over him. He then realized that she was plotting to keep their identities of them being pilots a secret from her cousin, in that aspect he couldn't agree with her more. Playing into her game he wrapped his arms around her waist, and leaned his head on hers. Serenity smiled as she caught sight of the stunned look on the others faces. Duo stared openly his mouth agape, and Trowa merely had both his eyebrows arched in surprise. Minako opened and closed her mouth like a fish out of water, her head tilted to the side eyes wide as saucers.   
  
"What?", she asked innocently lacing her fingers through his.   
  
She suddenly felt a tremor race up her spine, as she felt his heart beat against her back.   
  
"Whoa, when did this happen?", Duo demanded still in shock at seeing the perfect soldier display a bit of emotion.   
  
"When did what happen?", Serenity asked innocently, curling up against him.   
  
Heero felt his insides twist as they had never before, as she became as close as she could possibly be to him. The closest anyone's ever been to him.   
  
"T-that.", Minako stuttered out pointing at them.   
  
"Is there something on my shirt?", Serenity asked playing her part as being naive very well.   
  
"Serenity....... you don't date. Men are the scum of the Earth, remember?", Minako explained looking at her cousin worriedly. Serenity then looked as if she just realized what they were hinting at.   
  
"Oh, you mean us? Well, my theory changed. All men are all still scum, especially Chiba, except for a select few, Hee-chan being one of them.", Serenity replied looking straight at Minako, miraculously keeping a straight face.   
  
'Hee-chan?', thought Heero, his eyebrow twitching slightly. As he breathed in deeply he felt her shift, so that her legs were entangled with his. He could smell the spicy rose shampoo she used, and he started to feel a bit light headed.   
  
"I don't believe it, no way, they're joking.", Duo started shaking himself out of his stupor.   
  
"We're not joking.", Serenity replied looking at Duo, ignoring the feelings rising within her.   
  
"Fine then kiss 'em.", Minako replied smartly expecting Serenity to stop there.   
  
Serenity shrugged her shoulders, and pecked him on the cheek.   
  
"Iie, Iie, she means KISS him, kiss 'em, not like that.", Duo corrected, leaning on his knees, a smirk on his face.   
  
Serenity shrugged again and pecked him lightly on the lips.   
  
"Iie, Iie, Really kiss 'em, like boyfriend/ girlfriend.", Minako corrected a sly look in her eyes, positive Serenity would back down.   
  
Heero felt an unfamiliar warmth spread through him, and left him tingling slightly. His cheek and lips burned where Serenity's lips had touched. His eyes widened slightly as he heard Minako's correction, and looked down at Serenity. She was looking up at him, questions in her eyes. They bespoke two things. Do you want to stop this hoax now, or continue on now that we're this far. Heero contemplated for a millisecond on weather he wanted to possibly sacrifice his identity, or just a simple kiss. He realized as a soldier it was his duty to keep his identity secret, and if that was what it took he'd do it.   
  
He lowered his head, and saw her eyes flutter shut, as his soon followed. He pressed his lips to hers and almost pulled away at their surprising sweetness. Her lips were so soft and warm....... He couldn't stop himself as he kissed her softly again, and she responded likewise. It was as if any will power he might have obtained evaporated more and more the longer he stayed close to her. Her hands tangled in his hair at the base of his neck as the kiss became more firm and demanding.   
  
'Who would've thought that the perfect soldier could kiss? Very well infact.', Serenity mused in her head.   
  
She would have continued longer however her lungs were starting to scream for air. Serenity's eyes fluttered open to see his prussian blue orbs glazed over with passion. Something that she suddenly realized that he had never known.   
  
Heero breathed in deeply, calming his nerves, and resetting his perfect soldier standards. For some reason his hands were shaking. He knew that he wouldn't even be able to hold a gun, let alone fire one. What had she done to him? What had happened to him? A kiss was a kiss, they don't cause anything. He mused in his head, unconsciously pulling Serenity closer to him, as they sat on the couch. Serenity, barely aware of her surroundings leaned comfortably on his chest hearing his heart beat frantically.   
  
"Duo, are you all right?", came the voice of Minako barging into her sweet thoughts of previous bliss.   
  
Serenity opened her eyes again to see Duo on the ground out cold. She gave a small giggle, and it caused three people to look at her. Trowa stared questioningly, while Minako stared in shock, and Heero just stared.   
  
"Mmm..... Minako, I just had the strangest dream.......", Duo yawned sitting up dizzily.   
  
"You weren't dreaming.", Minako replied pointing at the disheveled pair.   
  
"My Kami.", Duo muttered plopping back on the floor, dazed.  
  
"Oh, Duo Trowa, I need to show you the base floor plans of the house so you don't get lost.", Serenity stated suddenly figuring it was time to explain things to them now, no matter how much she had enjoyed it.   
  
Heero reluctantly let go of her waist, as she stood up unsteadily.   
  
"In here.", she continued walking into the study she had been in earlier.   
  
The two boys got up and followed her, quite quickly by the way, somehow knowing it wasn't about floor plans.   
  
"Do you ever get the feeling that everyone knows something you don't?", Minako questioned Heero who was currently deep in his own little world, contemplating on the newest problem in his life: Serenity.   
  
Most problems in his life were immediately terminated, but no, this problem was not so simple.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE ROOM  
  
"So, let me get this straight, that kiss, that big wet sloppy kiss, was a hoax?", Duo questioned disbelieving every word that exited Serenity's mouth.   
  
"Duo the only reason we did it was to protect our identities.", Serenity countered pacing.   
  
"If Minako somehow found out that we were the pilots, she might accidentally tell someone, and how long do you think it would take for Oz to find us then?", Serenity hissed a bit frustrated with Duo.   
  
"Not long.", Trowa answered for him, grasping her point.   
  
"J told me that if she found us out, we'd have to kill her.", Serenity continued running a hand through her hair.   
  
"But you two also have a mission, to keep her as far away from the lab as possible. Take her horse riding, video game playing, or to the mall, just keep her away from the lab.", Serenity instructed for obvious reasons.   
  
"Mission accepted, high and mighty, babe of all babes.", Duo saluted waltzing out the door, while Trowa followed shaking his head sadly.   
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
LATER THAT AFTERNOON WITH SERENITY AND HEERO  
  
The two walked briskly down the hangar hall making sure to have no physical contact with one another. They hadn't discussed that mornings events, or the feelings they had mutually shared. Serenity was dressed in mission garb and a trench coat, with a fake bandage on her arm, while Heero wore a green tank top with black jeans, and a black trench coat as well. They both nodded silently to Dr. J, then continued over towards Serenity's Gundam which was already awake and waiting for her. The Gundam gave the now familiar nod, and lowered it's hand for the two to step into. Getting into the Gundam was the problem. Heero was of larger stature than Quatre, thus Serenity sat in his lap once more. She maneuvered the controls and soon they were in stealth mode, auto pilot, to the desert base.   
  
Serenity was forced to lean back because of the way they were traveling, and was biting her lip to keep self control. She knew she wasn't hurting him because her total weight wasn't nearly enough to do so. She could feel his breath on her neck as his lips occasionally brushed her shoulder. The bitter metallic taste of blood soon flowed into her mouth because of the fact that she was biting her lip so hard. She knew it was all ludicrous that she felt unmentionable certain feelings now, and so soon, but she couldn't squelch them from growing. No amount of training could have repressed them. In some ways she just wanted to smack herself upside the head, but in other was she wanted to congratulate herself. There really was no point in musing over things now, she was on a mission. When on a mission she was no longer Serenity Croft. Serenity Usagi Croft no longer existed, No, now she was the Shi Tenshi.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
AT THE MANSION AFTER, AND DURING THE 'INCIDENT'  
  
The platinum blonde watched the scene unfold before him unable to utter a sound. His eyes widened and his hand gripped the third floor railing so hard it made a dent in the hard wood.   
  
"Iie, Iie, Iie.", he whispered as the two lovers kissed passionately in the foyer.   
  
His hand slipped slowly away from the rail and he backed away. He turned on his heal and went back the way he came. He knew the halls of the mansion like the back of his hand, and soon wandered past the room he had occupied for so long. He had dressed and showered before he had left the room, finding clothes on the end of the bed, exactly his size. He wore a white long sleeve tight-knit sweater, that clung slightly to him, and slightly baggy khaki's with white sneakers. He soon found himself in a balcony of the Solarium, overlooking the well kept indoor gardens. He shut the doors of the balcony and leaned against them with labored breathing. He then pushed himself away from the doors and walked towards the rail.  
  
"Serenity........", he whispered to no one plucking a blood red rose off a vine that had grown up the balcony.   
  
The brutal thorns tore into the callused skin on his hand, and soon red droplets started to fall. The red droplets were thinned by crystal clear liquid mingling with it. Salty tears silently flowed down his angelic, bruised face, dropping one tear at a time. The rose was dropped to the floor of the balcony, as the boy suddenly took notice of his new self inflicted wound.   
  
"Every rose has it's thorns.", he murmured to himself, as his tear ducts overflowed once more.   
  
He did not cry for the pain in his hand, nor did he cry because of the previous torture he had been put through, but he cried for the mere fact of a broken heart. He slowly lowered himself to the ground and leaned his back against the stone rail. He brought his knees up to his chest, and buried his face into the crook of his left arm. His right arm lay limply beside him, the red life giving fluid flowing drip by drip out of his wound. Soon enough his silent tears slowed as the boy fell into a heavy slumber.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE GAME ROOM  
  
"Now Duo, just go straight through that door.", Minako instructed pilot 02.   
  
Duo was wearing a virtual reality suit, although he didn't quite realize it.   
  
"Are you sure that's the game?", Duo asked inquisitively, peering into the darkness of what seemed to be an empty room.   
  
Duo received no answer as he was suddenly pushed into the black abyss, holding his breath the entire way as he fell.   
  
"Mina! I'll get you for this!", he yelled as he suddenly stopped falling, and solid ground appeared beneath him.   
  
[Hello, player one. Please state your name?}, a computerized voice asked him.   
  
"Duo.", he replied slowly an eyebrow raised.   
  
[Welcome Duo, please choose your destination.}, it continued as the vast space was suddenly brightened by bright lights.   
  
Portals that lead to different virtual reality games were lined up along the walls, with labels above them.   
  
'I wonder what that is?', Duo thought walking towards a portal that decripted   
  
'Super Smash Melee'. He entered the portal and soon bright light filled his vision.   
  
{Please enjoy your stay at the Hyrule Temple.}, the computerized voice stated as Duo knew no more.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE GAME ROOM  
  
"He is going to get creamed!", Minako crowed as she watched with Trowa which portal Duo entered.   
  
"Why?", Trowa asked watching the enormous T.V. screen with interest.   
  
"He just entered an extremely hard fighting game. If he didn't choose any weapons, the computer will choose them for him, according to his personality. I sent him to the Hyrule Temple just for kicks.", Minako explained a laptop in her lap that was connected to the big T.V. screen.   
  
Trowa nodded as Duo reappeared wearing some odd clothing.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE HYRULE TEMPLE  
  
"Whoa.", Duo cried out as he fell off a glowing invisible platform, into some very old ruins.   
  
There was moss growing from here and there, with no other living soul as far as he could see. He looked down and gasped at his clothing. He wore a black tunic with golden trimming, with black ....... tights, and had a wickedly curved sword in his hands. Attached in a holster at his side was a large gun, that glowed an odd blue color.   
  
{Prepare to Begin!}, came the same computerized voice loudly. It was then that the grass began to sway in an invisible wind. He could smell the scent of flowers, and pine trees, along with the old smell of rocks. The clouds moved in the sky and it was then that he realized that he was on a floating island.   
  
"How dare you infiltrate this holy place! Your not welcome here!", came a strong female voice to his left.   
  
"And who are you?", Duo asked cockily turning around. The beautiful elfin girl he saw startled him. She wore a blue and white dress, with designs on the front of it. She had an elfin face, startlingly clear blue eyes and a small delicate frame, with insanely long yellowish orange hair.   
  
"I am Zelda, Princess of Hyrule, and as far as your concerned, your undertaker.", the girl replied stonily, her blue eyes flashing. She held her hands up in the air and created a small fire ball.   
  
With alarming accuracy she threw it at him. He raised his hands up in a blocking fashion, and to his great surprise it worked. A red and white ball appeared in front of him, and out of sheer curiosity, he picked in up. He then noticed another fire ball coming his way, and threw the ball in the air and ducked. When the ball landed it opened and light came from the opening. A medium sized creature with boxing gloves on chased after the princess, punching her in the chest area. The girl did a flip and righted herself as the odd creature disappeared. With a glare she threw her arms up in the air, and in a POOF of magical pixie dust she transformed into something else.   
  
"I am Sheik, prepare to meet your doom.", came the ninja clad girl angrily. Duo gulped and backed away slowly from the intimidating woman.   
  
"MINAKO!", Duo yelled running as the skilled fighter chased him around the temple grounds, attempting to take his life.   
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE GAME ROOM  
  
"This is great!", guffawed Minako watching Duo get punched by the irate princess.   
  
"You know, that character was modeled after Serenity. No one has ever been able to defeat that character, except for Serenity herself.", Minako continued sending down this thing she assumed was a sword into the game.   
  
"Lady Aino, Lady AINO!", cried out Hilary worriedly racing into the room.   
  
"Hai, Hilary, What's wrong?", Minako asked him worry clearly evident in her eyes.   
  
She swerved her chair around and stood up, quickly, almost smacking into Hilary.   
  
"Master Quatre is gone! Missing! No one can find him!", Hilary explained using his hands as gestures.   
  
"Oh no ..........", Minako trailed off turning quickly back to the computer.   
  
Her fingers flew light lightening across the keys, and soon enough the metal doors opened up with a hiss. Duo stumbled out of them, a bit disoriented. He clumsily took of the suit, and only then did he bother to glare at Minako.   
  
"Quatre's missing.", Trowa stated softly standing up.   
  
"Are you sure?", Duo asked his attention immediately focused on Trowa.   
  
"We can't find him anywhere, the staff has been searching for around two hours, there's no trace of him anywhere.", Hilary confirmed looking straight at Duo.   
  
"Unless we want to have to face the Croft temper when Serenity gets back, we better find him.", Minako pointed out hands on hips.   
  
"Duo you go look for Wufei in the gyms with Hilary, Trowa we'll go search the computer rooms. Let's move!", Minako ordered as her demands were met.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________   
  
WITH SERENITY AND HEERO  
  
"Lady Croft, it's been ages since we've last had the pleasure of your company." , Rashid greeted warmly, enveloping her in a giant bear hug.   
  
"It's nice to see you too, Rashid.", Serenity replied calmly, returning the hug.   
  
A pair of black sunglasses covered her eyes due to the unrelenting rays of the bright sunlight.   
  
"I understand Master Quatre was injured, he will be all right, won't he?", the tall burly Maganac asked worriedly leading them to the hanger.   
  
"I assure you, he will be fine.", Serenity replied, brushing her long braid behind her shoulder, and flicking her sunglasses up.   
  
"When did you become a pilot, I never thought that you would be one to kill.", Rashid inquired opening a secret panel in the study.   
  
" I became a pilot not long ago, and as for the killing, I must do what is necessary to protect the people, in both the colonies and the Earth.", She replied truthfully descending the stairs at a fast rate.   
  
They went through several more doors, and down several more stair cases, before the came upon the hanger.   
  
"My Gundam has already started it's trek home, we will be picking up Altron, and Sandrock now.", Serenity stated starting her way towards the white and yellow Gundam.   
  
"I trust you'll come back to see us after the war?", Rashid asked hopefully.   
  
"That's a promise.", she replied giving him a wink.   
  
"See you then!", Rashid called as Serenity and Heero both jumped into the respective Gundams, and started to power them up.   
  
Soon enough they were in the air and more than ready to return to Serenity's hangar.   
  
_____________________________________________________________________________  
  
TWO AND A HALF HOURS LATER  
  
"I wonder where everyone is?", Serenity mused walking into the foyer.   
  
J had said the house was in an uproar for some reason or another, but he couldn't get a straight answer out of anyone.   
  
"LADY CROFT!", cried out Nakuru racing into the room frantically.   
  
Apparently the rest of the house heard her arrival and, soon the foyer was loaded with noise and worried chatter.   
  
"Ren, Ren?", called Minako forcing her way through the crowd.   
  
"Mina, what's happening?", Serenity asked as she was forced to back up against Heero due to the massive amount of people in one room.   
  
"Wellquatredisappeared,andwecan'tfindhim.", Minako spat out rather quickly, in fact far to quickly for Serenity to follow.   
  
"Excuse me?", Serenity asked tapping her foot on the ground.   
  
"Master Quatre's gone. He's missing.", Hilary repeated shying away from the slowly angering girl.   
  
"Quatre Rababera Winner was unconscious, and comatose....... how could you possibly LOSE HIM!!!!!!", Serenity yelled as the majority of the people hushed down.   
  
"We didn't lose him, he just ........ disappeared.", Duo supplied slowly and deliberately, as if he were speaking to someone who was mentally unstable.   
  
"Is he here?", Serenity questioned her temper growing by the second.   
  
"No......", Duo replied slowly.   
  
"Well then, YOU LOST HIM!!!", she screamed at him throwing her coat on the rack.   
  
"We would have found him already, but you, and your mother are the only ones who can access the new security system, and Andromeda.", Nakuru explained calmly, trying to soothe the enraged girl.   
  
"Andromeda!!!!!", yelled Serenity, and soon a tiny pillar of light appeared in front on her.   
  
"Hai, Serenity-chan!", called the apparition of a small girl with shoulder length jet black hair, pulled into twin pig tails, with jade green eyes.   
  
"Hello Andy-chan, can you show me where Quatre-kun is?", Serenity asked calmly smiling at the girl who looked to be about the age of seven.   
  
"Of course I can show you where Quatre-kun is, come with me!", called the small hologram.   
  
The girl suddenly solidified and miraculously grabbed Serenity's hand. They started to leave when suddenly the hologram named Andromeda stopped.   
  
"Quatre-kun needs Serenity-chan, not you four. Stay.", the girl ordered eyes glowing an demonic red.   
  
Duo, Wufei, and Trowa stopped in their tracks, and stared miraculously at her.   
  
"State your name and purpose.", Came Heero's monotone voice, his magnum pointed directly at Andromeda.   
  
"My name is Andromeda Croft, I'm Serenity-chan's little helper! I help her find things, launch attacks, organize the weapons, and secure the mansion.", Andromeda giggled, hopping around Serenity.   
  
"No one leaves this house without my consent, or a Croft order.", she continued stopping and glaring at the four pilots.   
  
"Let's go find Quatre-kun, Rena!", the child called grabbing Serenity's hand and skipping down the hall once more.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE HALL  
  
'I wonder where he went?', Serenity mused letting the tiny girl lead her blindly through the mansion.   
  
"Quatre-kun, was not happy, no no, he was sad. So very sad.", Andromeda stated suddenly slowing her walk.   
  
"How do you know? What happened?", Serenity asked the girl with the artificial intelligence.   
  
"He made tears, then he cut his hand, then he fell asleep.", she replied turning down down another hall.   
  
She motioned to a balcony at the end of the hall, and said," He fell asleep in there."   
  
Serenity nodded and hugged the girl as a thank you, and in a small white glow the girl was gone.  
  
Serenity waved a hand and then turned down the hall, her temper nearly dissipate.   
  
'I wonder what he cut himself on?', she wondered walking at a quick speed down the hall.   
  
When she reached the door, she slowly carefully opened, hearing the soft click of the door, she pushed it open, just enough for her to slip through.   
  
"Quatre?", she called softly looking around the spacious balcony, then it dawned on her to look down.   
  
"Oh my........", she trailed off dropping to her knees as she spotted the angelic figure clad in white.   
  
"Hey, Quatre, time to wake up.....", she trailed off shaking him gently. The boys head shot up his clear blue eyes alert and ready.   
  
"Hey, it' only me.", Serenity stated watching him visibly relax.  
  
With a grimace she realized exactly how bruised and battered he was.   
  
"What are you doing here?", he asked brushing a platinum blonde strand of hair out of his eyes.   
  
"I live here silly.", she replied grasping his hands.   
  
In his right hand she found several tiny incisions, and quickly healed them in a tiny silver flash.   
  
"Hold still.....", she murmured placing a hand on is cheek.   
  
In a brighter flash all of his major wounds were healed, and the bruises that covered his face faded away.   
  
"I thought your mother said your powers were only for emergencies.", Quatre reprimanded softly, feeling energized.   
  
"Since when have I listened to my parents.", she replied sitting down next to him.   
  
"Shouldn't you be with Heero?", Quatre asked bluntly, a somewhat sour look appearing on his face.   
  
"No, why would I be?", Serenity asked a bit confused.   
  
"I know you two are together.", he continued avoiding her gaze.   
  
Serenity let out a silvery laugh, and Quatre looked at her with an elegant eyebrow raised.   
  
"We were only pretending for Minako's sake. If she found out that all of us are pilots .........", she trailed off letting him process the rest of the information.   
  
"When did Mina get here?", Quatre asked feeling a heavy weight lift off of his heart.   
  
"This morning, she's going to be staying for six months.", Serenity replied leaning on his shoulder.   
  
"Not good.", he sighed running his fingers through his hair, it had become quite a habit for him to do so.   
  
"I know.", Serenity replied suddenly feeling fatigue wash over her.   
  
"Hey, the new security system Andromeda was set up this morning, I'll explain later.", she started stretching and standing up.   
  
She offered him her hand and he stood up as well.   
  
"We should go tell the boys that you were found, I think Duo thought you died.", Serenity stated walking down the hall.   
  
"Yeah, that's Duo all right.", Quatre replied laughing.   
  
They walked in silence the rest of the way to the foyer. Further chat could wait till the next day, she was far too tired.   
  
"Hey Sere, Did you find him?", called Mina cheerfully seeing the blonde hared girl first.   
  
"Yeah .........", Serenity mumbled stumbling down the stairs, to rest on the couch.   
  
She pulled the afghan of the back of the couch, curled up in the corner of the couch, and was almost asleep before her head hit the armrest.   
  
"What did you two do this afternoon?", Mina asked Heero suspiciously as he stopped staring at her sleeping form.   
  
Heero shrugged, and turned to Quatre obviously awaiting an explanation.   
  
"You see, I kind of fell asleep in the solarium.", Quatre started a blush covering his features.   
  
"You baka.", Minako muttered with an Anime sweatdrop.   
  
"Fine Minako, don't even say hello. Just sit there and call me a baka.", Quatre stated his bottom lip quivering.   
  
He have the greatest puppy dog face to ever see society, and it had it'd desired effect.  
  
"Oh, Quatre-kun, I'm sorry. ", Minako called throwing her arms around him.   
  
"I've missed you too.", Quatre stated through laughter.  
  
"Oh, wait I have to go make sure the game system is shut down.", Minako stated after letting Quatre go.   
  
She literally flew up the stairs, at the thought of what her Aunt would do to her if she left the game system on all night, and broke it again.  
  
"Hey!", Bryce called walking into the room.   
  
Noticing there was no Minako, he sighed in relief.  
  
"You guys have got a mission.", Bryce continued in a hushed voice, "Accept or Decline?", he finished.  
  
"Accepted.", rang out five voices in unison.  
  
"Good, I'll see you six downstairs when your ready.", Bryce admonished spying Serenity asleep on the couch.  
  
"So, who wants to wake her?", Duo asked looking at her carefully.   
  
Silence met his ears as he turned to look at his fellow pilots.  
  
"I'm not doing it.", Duo stated firmly, there was no way he was going to wake her.  
  
Ten minutes later Duo Maxwell, had a black eye and a hand prints across his face.   
  
"She's awake.", Duo stated glaring at men that were supposed to be his friends.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Review A.S.A.P.!  
  
I apologize for the lateness! Forgive me!  
  
Much Love Serenity Moon 


	4. Taking Care of His Own

Author: ~*SerenityMoon*~  
Title: Welcome to My World  
Chapter: 4  
  
Disclaimer: *Gives off a look of high annoyance as she brushes her hair out of her eyes* I've said it once, and I'm not saying it again! *sigh's defeatedly, glancing at the bloodthirsty lawyers* Fine, I don't own the characters.... or a few of the places....... or the Gundams.......... demo I do own the story plot, so there!!!!  
  
I thank everyone who faithfully reviewed, and has waited for this chapter, and I apologize for taking so long to get it out, but I had the dreaded WB.  
  
Comments:  
  
Yes, I know very well how darn confusing the romance is in this fic, but hey, that's the point. I firmly believe that life isn't that easy, so thus neither are the fics.   
  
Well, some characters are OCC, but deal with it.   
  
The other senshi will be brought in, slowly but surely.  
  
*........*, people from Oz talking in a mobile suit or Gundam. Ex. Zechs  
~.......~, Serenity talking in a Mobile suite or Gundam  
{ ........} , G-boys talking in as mobile suit or Gundam  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
LAST TIME  
  
"I'm not doing it.", Duo stated firmly, there was no way he was going to wake her.  
  
Ten minutes later Duo Maxwell, had a black eye and hand prints across his face.   
  
"She's awake.", Duo groaned glaring at men that were supposed to be his friends.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE SKIES OF THE EARTH  
  
A white-hot beam of energy sliced through the air as it destroyed a carrier that contained hundreds mobile suits. A Gundam decorated in black and dark malicious colors lashed out with a scythe, helping decrease the number of dolls surrounding them. Another Gundam released its dragon claw and ripped the hull off another carrier causing the ship to go down in a blaze.   
  
'This is too easy.', mused the only female pilot, blue eyes narrowing. She pressed buttons rapidly, firing off her arsenal. She had recently acquired tracer beams, and she, sad to say, was having fun.   
  
A Gundam to her right fought with two boomerang like blades, one in each hand. They almost resembled curved daggers. He sighed in frustration as yet more dolls appeared. He hated killing, he hated war, but if it was the only way to bring peace........... he'd do it. Another one of his comrades continued firing off a buster riffle at a group of mobile dolls destroying half of them, effectively watching his allies back, taking care of his own. The Gundam next to it opened up it's chest plates and fired off a round of ammo, destroying the rest of them. The battle went on for a good half-hour before the final doll was obliterated.   
  
06 whirled around her Gundam adjusting her face helmet. J had made her wear it, just in case someone managed to patch through the system and got a glimpse of Serenity Croft. That would stir up far too much trouble. As she looked up again she saw white metal. Backing her Gundam away let her see the entire mecha. She bit back a gasp of surprise as she recognized the suit to be the TallGeese.   
  
*So you're the new pilot...*, trailed off a voice from the other suit. It was silky and soft, holding no malice or anger.   
  
*Very impressive my dear, but not nearly good enough.*, finished the suit, before it lashed out at her.   
  
'My dear?', she thought contemplating on why he would call her that.   
  
Shi bit back a growl as she noticed the man had patched into her line, and had seen her with her mask on. He knew she was female because the monitor showed her from the waist up. She blocked the swing with her light sword, and spun around countering his swing, only to be blocked. She then broke into the TallGeese's system and saw the man behind the controls. He had long platinum hair, paler than Quatre's, and a silver mask that covered most of his face. His mask was much like her own, except instead of hers being rounded off at the top, curving with her face, the top of hers ended in five sharp points, and at the base of the points a light sheet of metal wrapped around the very back of her head, letting her hair flow free. The mask also curved around her ears, but instead of them being rounded they came to another sharp point, making her have elf ears. Ice blue eyes glowed inside of the mask, continually giving her an inhuman metallic gleam. With the mask on she almost looked like one of the devils henchmen, or at the very least an ice demon.   
  
They continued to battle for a few moments while the other Gundams stayed out of the way. It was more than likely that they would hit the Tsuki Hoshi if they tried to interfere because of the speeds the Gundams were moving. 04's eyes followed every movement the female pilot made, hoping, praying she wouldn't make a mistake. So far she had been lucky; She had managed to block every swing the pilot of TallGeese made, while getting in none of her own. Suddenly the TallGeese veered off whipping out a modified buster riffle charging it in less then ten seconds. Shi panicked for a moment, she didn't have time to move as the sudden blast came speeding towards her. She then remembered her wings and quickly activated them.   
  
01 used his shield as the crystal wings exploded out of the Gundam, sending sharp shards of crystal or glass everywhere. He had unconsciously moved infront of 02, taking care of his own. He scowled as he remembered that Duo's own shield would not be ready for another month or so. The wings then enclosed around the mecha seconds before the beam hit it. The beam continued to hit the wings until the pilot of TallGeese cut the flow, realizing the beam was doing no good. A fait thumping sound made it's way into the pilot's ears as they prepared to continue with their battle. Shi pulled up her radar and found that one of the Peace Delegates carriers were heading towards them. Not something you want to accidentally destroy.  
  
"Stop this! Haven't enough lives been lost?", cried out a young female voice from the carrier, obviously being amplified so they could all hear it. The icy blue eyes on Wing Zero flared brighter for a few moments as if recognizing the voice.   
  
*Enough lives have been lost.*, came the voice of the pilot in the TallGeese. The suit then retracted its energy sword and put it away.   
  
~Agreed~, Shi replied putting away her own sword. Somehow she felt no want to kill the pilot in the TallGeese, he didn't strike her as Oz material. As the TallGeese turned away from her she called, ~Wait!~. She then patched through his system so she could see him, and he her.  
  
*Ahh, so the silent angel speaks...*, trailed off the TallGeese stopping his departure.   
  
~Might I know the name of my adversary?~, Shi questioned feeling his name to be important for some reason. Maybe it was just her soldier side wanting to squeeze out as much information as possible from the enemy.   
  
*My name is Zechs Merquise, and you, silent angel?*, Zechs replied smoothly turning to face her once more.   
  
~I am Shi Tenshi, we shall battle again?~ she said more a statement than a question.  
  
*Most definitely Death Angel. Most definitely.*, he replied before blasting off.  
  
~Let's go home guys.~, Shi stated watching the fire trails disappear into the sky.  
  
{Race ya there babe!} , called Duo blasting off his Death Scythe towards the Croft Mansion.  
  
~Mission Accepted.~, replied Shi blasting off after him while the others followed her.   
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE MANSION  
  
Minako sat in bed looking up at the intricate ceiling. Shadows played across the walls, sometimes taking the shape of a monster or sometimes a person. She had heard it all. They had gotten a mission, but a mission for what? She decided to keep her mouth shut for now, it was obvious that she wasn't supposed to know. She decided that the next time it happened, then she would ask, but for now she would stay silent. She strained her ears to hear two sets of light footsteps, heading towards their rooms. She knew both of the people walking down the hall were Serenity and Quatre. All the maids, butlers, and servants had retired for the night long ago, and none of the other boys had any reason to be on the third floor. 'Unless it's Heero that's with Serenity.....', she trailed off with an impish grin. With a sigh she rolled over and began to dream of a certain blonde hared boy, who had immediately caught her eye, long, long ago.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
SOMEWHERE IN ALASKA  
  
"Crikey, honey, it's bloody cold and I'm freezing my poor buns off!", Alex complained from the depth of his warm coat his teeth chattering.   
  
"Alex don't be such a baby!", Lara scolded wearing only a thin cloak, the cold didn't bother her much at all.   
  
"It's not my fault you've got ice running though your veins.", Alex grumbled. His wife was never to hot, or never to cold, wherever she was she was comfortable. Anywhere she set foot was her domain, her turf.   
  
"Really....", Lara trailed off pressing her lips to his unexpectedly.   
  
Warmth surged through Alex just as it had the first time they had kissed, just as it did every time they kissed.   
  
"Better?", Lara asked a small smirk on her face.   
  
"Hmm, Much.", he murmured actually beginning to feel quite hot.   
  
"Wait, a second.......", Lara trailed off brushing some dirt off of the ice cold walls.   
  
She turned the flashlight onto a higher power, and finally saw what she was looking for, a loose stone. With caution she read the warning and pressed the stone.   
  
'To those who dare enter, be sure to have pure intentions in thine mind, for if thou dost not, thou will not be leaving.', Lara mused in her mind.   
  
"Basically don't touch anything with the intention of selling it for a profit or else something really nasty is going to kill us.", she stated aloud walking into the room carefully.   
  
Alex walked in after her, seeing the room was bathed in soft blue light. The light came from the glowing blue stones in the ceiling. Alex walked in the opposite direction of Lara and came across an ornate metal and glass jewelry box of some sort. The ancient writing on the top read,'With the birth of the Angel, hope will fall upon our mortal souls.' The base was round decorated with an odd graph, and detailed angels. Then he found a small key on the cloth-covered table next to it. He searched the shoe box sized jewelry box for a keyhole and finally found one in the back. He wound it up and a haunting melody played from the box. He found a secret compartment that held an ornate silver cross, on a delicate silver chain. Another compartment had opened in the middle of the box let loose two figurines that danced across the top of the box. Alex stared at the small figurines in wonder as their movements almost looked real.  
  
'Serenity would love this.......', he mused as the compartment closed its contents inside of it. He slipped the box into his pouch and went to find Lara.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
3 DAYS LATER  
  
"Lady Croft!", asked Nakuru knocking on the closed bedroom door again. It was noon, beyond the point of sleeping in, and time for lunch. Besides that fact her parents had sent her a package. Getting a bit frustrated she opened the door not bothering to look at the bed right away.   
  
"I've been calling you all morning......", she trailed off picking up a brush off the floor, When she got no answer she looked up at the bed, only to find it empty and immaculate as if it had never been slept in.  
  
"Lady Croft!", the hand maid called again suddenly worried.   
  
When she got no answer she looked in the bathroom area, the walk in wardrobe, and the balcony only to come up empty handed. It was clear that Serenity hadn't left her room because the door hadn't been locked. When the girl left her room she locked the door. Nukuru then ran down the hall to the room of Lord Winner, maybe she had just stepped out to see him for some reason......   
  
"Lord Winner, Lord Winner!", called out Nukuru knocking on the door fervently.   
  
"Yes, Miss Nukuru?", he asked opening his bedroom door. Two other boys popped their heads out next to him and Nukuru assessed them as Sir Barton, and Sir Maxwell.   
  
"Lady Croft is gone! She hadn't left her room, but she's gone!", she broke out as Quatre's eyes widened.   
  
"How do you know, she might've just stepped out.", Duo stated brushing it off, prepared to go back inside.  
  
"She has always locked her bedroom door when she was outside of the room, but it was unlocked so it meant that she was in there, but she wasn't!", Nakuru explained and Quatre nodded his head in acceptance. He remembered it as one of her more innocent habits.  
  
"She might have forgotten to lock it.", Duo supplied using his brain.   
  
"No never. She never forgets to lock it.", Quatre retorted for the worried maid, beginning to get as worried as she.   
  
"We'll go look for her. You just sit and relax, we'll find her.", Quatre told the woman with a kind smile. As soon as the maid was out of sight his smile faded and he quickly gave out directions. He told Duo to get Minako from the game room, then search the house, and warned him not to slip up. He also asked Trowa to go to the fields and stables to see if she was there. And Quatre himself would check the hanger, his was the only DNA programmed into the system besides Heero's. He didn't know when Heero had gotten his own DNA into the system, but he could bet any money some serious hacking was involved.   
  
Quatre then raced out of the room and down the stairs, his heart tightening. He had finally gotten her back, he wouldn't loose her now. That was why, when he had first found out about her being a pilot he was angry. Sure she had inferred to him that she was a pilot when she woke him on the balcony, but he had been to disoriented to notice. And he didn't notice until they actually got to the hanger and she got in her Gundam.   
  
He passed by Andromeda, who let him do whatever he wanted as long as he called her Andy-chan, and bypassed the systems heading to the hanger.  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE HANGER  
  
Serenity looked over a few of the charts on the table scrutinizing each and every one of the details. The plans were very accurate, and they had every reason to believe that the new weapon would work. Her blood type was compatible, as well as her nerve system. Dr. J had explained to her that one of the only reasons the weapon would work was because of fact that she had Croft blood running through her veins. Her lineage gave her extraordinary powers, but most of these powers she could not harness, not without training. Not without proper guidance. She had mastered the art of using her own energy to heal people and to help plants grow. But that was as far as her powers went. She knew her mother had powers far beyond her imagination, granted to her from her expeditions, and from her grandfathers training. But her mother thought their gifts to be more of a curse than anything else, and thus left her powers underdeveloped. As far as Serenity knew it was like raw energy, waiting to be released by a particular action or emotion.  
  
With a sigh she stood up carrying the first set of plans with her. The other four would have to wait. They were a bit too complicated just yet, they needed a building block.  
  
"J?", she called walking over to him. If they could pull it off, if she could handle it, it could help their side of the war tremendously. If her body rejected the radiation stimulate.................. She didn't even want to think about it.  
  
"Yes Lady Croft?", he replied, looking up from his laptop. He saw the set of plans she had selected and gave her a brief smile.   
  
"You do understand the consequences, don't you?", he asked her standing up from his chair.   
  
"Of course.", she replied with a wry smile. Her stomach was doing its own variation of acrobatics, and it wasn't a pleasant feeling.   
  
"We shall begin the procedure tonight then. The sooner the better. In a Gundam, with untrained powers, you would probably cause more trouble than help. That is why we must enhance the already existing energy in your body. If we were to try to neutralize it, it could combust, but if we help it along..............", the crooked old man stated with a smirk rivaling her mothers.   
  
"Understood.", she replied going over the plans one last time.   
  
"Serenity? Are you down here?", came a voice from the hangar hall.   
  
"Quick, hide the plans, the others must not know.", J stated while she stuffed them into the desk drawer.   
  
Serenity understood J's reasoning. There was not enough time to answer all their questions, nor were they able to. She knew very well her Kassan would be furious with her for pulling this stunt, but it was for the good of the whole. At least she hoped it was for the good.   
  
"In here Quatre!", she called in the most innocent voice she could muster.  
  
"There you are. We've been looked all over for you.", he explained his blue eyes sparkling, as he gathered her in a light embrace.   
  
Serenity sighed as a familiar feeling flowed into her system, warm and comforting. It was like coming home after being gone for an eternity. She felt like her worries were dissipating before her very eyes as the warmth of his body enveloped her. A light blush stained her milky white skin when she pulled away much to her chagrin. Quatre gave her a soft smile and let go of her waist, although he still gently clasped her hand.   
  
Quatre couldn't deny the fact that there was a bubbling in his heart when he thought of her, he couldn't deny the sensations that occurred when he was near her. A blush came across his face as he realized the doctor was giving them odd looks. Out of mere habit he ran his left hand through his platinum locks, momentarily brushing his long bangs out of his eyes.   
  
'Teenagers.', humphed Dr. J in his mind as he watched the two hug. 'I'll never understand them as long as I live.', he continued, with a flicker of interest in his eyes. 'Not that I'd ever want to.', He finished as they both began to blush for no apparent reason.  
  
"Well, Lady Croft, your repairs for Tuski Hoshi will be done around 11:30 tonight. Remember 11:30 sharp.", J started emphasizing the '11:30' and 'tonight'.   
  
"Yeah, I'll remember 11:30.", she replied carefully catching his hidden meaning.   
  
Operation 1 would commence that night, she was to be there promptly or she shouldn't show at all.   
  
"Well, Sere what do you say we go get some lunch?", he asked her tugging her gently towards the exit.   
  
"Sounds good to me.", she replied flashing him a brilliant smile, a smile used to light up the heavens.   
  
Quatre found himself at the mercy of Allah as he faltered at her smile. 'It takes a slip of a woman to break me. Me. A Gundam pilot!', he mused in his head giving a slight chuckle turning the idea over in his mind.   
  
Serenity eyed Quatre oddly as he suddenly chuckled for no reason. She then realized she liked to hear him laugh. It was a low sound that made her stomach begin it's acrobatics again, this time in a much more pleasant way. They sauntered down the hall at a slow pace, enjoying each others company in a blissful silence. Quatre glanced down at his blonde hared friend and fought the urge to kiss her. 'It wouldn't be right.', he reasoned in his head, steeling away his resolve. He settled for slowly caressing the underside of her wrist with his thumb, smiling a little when her shoulder arched slightly before calming down. By Allah he had missed her.   
  
Serenity held her breath when she felt the light touch on her pulse. Regardless the fact that it was merely a touch, it made her shiver. She glanced up at him to see him staring straight ahead, seemingly unaware of what he was doing to her.   
  
'This is unreal.....', she murmured in her mind forcing her heart back where it belonged, as it was going on a suicide mission to escape from her chest.   
  
'I wonder if she noticed?', Quatre asked himself a faint tinge of pink on his cheeks.   
  
Giving her a long look he still came up undecided. If she noticed she didn't show it, and if she didn't all the better.  
  
"By the way, you mother and father sent you a package today, at least that's what Duo said.", Quatre started suddenly breaking the comfortable silence.  
  
"Really?", Serenity started letting out a sigh.   
  
The feeling in her stomach had just changed from pleasant to horrible as she though of her parents. It was such a long mission, so many things could go wrong.  
  
"What's wrong?", Quatre asked sensing the sudden stab of pain in her heart. He stopped walking and she followed in suit.   
  
"I ...... well...... I guess I'm just really worried about them. It's a six month mission.", she replied heaving another sigh and averting her gaze to the ground.   
  
Her parents were her life. If anything ever happened to them, she didn't even want to think about it.   
  
"Hey......", he started softly using his thumb and pointer finger to make her look at him.   
  
He stared into her soulful blue eyes, reading every emotion that passed through them, confirmed by his empathy.  
  
"They'll be all right. Your mother and father are both very capable of taking care of themselves. Don't worry.", he reassured continuing to search her eyes for confirmation that she believed him.   
  
"But, Quatre-----", she started but was stopped by her throat tightening and her eyes stinging.   
  
Her chest began to tighten as she tried to calm herself down.   
  
"Oh, Sere......", he trailed off, gathering his precious little angel in his arms.   
  
He wanted to take her pain away from her, even if he had to place it upon his own shoulders. He hated to see her so very upset. He whispered words of comfort and reassurance in her ear, as she returned his hug wholeheartedly. After an unrecorded amount of time, Quatre released her, with a bit of a red hue on hi face.   
  
The two then walked hand in hand to the 'elevator' and quickly were on their way to snag some much needed lunch.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
IN THE FIELDS  
  
Wufei precariously slashed his beloved katana through the air battling with an invisible opponent. He moved with the utmost grace and sureness in his actions. It was as if he knew his attacks would destroy his enemy, even before they were performed. He seemed to be oblivious to his surroundings, but in reality he was very much so aware. He knew that the tiger the onna called 'Shiro' was spying on him from a distance, and that her bird flew far above him in the open sky riding the thermals. He also knew that about fifty feet away from him one of his comrades sat typing on a laptop, leaning in the cool shade of a willow tree. He automatically knew it was the one and only Perfect Soldier, searching for something important, or just amusing himself by hacking into Oz mainframes and insulting their security systems. The onna's neko, almost dark purple in color, was curled up by pilot 01, leaning its head on his arm, watching as numerous things flashed across the screen. Wufei was personally surprised Yui hadn't blasted the cat into the next dimension for even looking at him.   
  
'Kuso onna.', Wufei thought cursing the girl that had unknowingly sabotaged his pride, and flattened his ego.   
  
She had easily saved them from a fate worse than death, and for that he hated her. Unlike the rest of them she had chosen to become an assassin, a pilot, all because she felt some type of ....... 'pity' for the original Gundam Pilots. Wufei snorted, slashing his katana angrily, he didn't need her pity. She had spent a mere two months training, while the others had trained all their lives, and yet, somehow she was just as good as they were if not better. But Wufei was not willing to admit that, not now, not ever. To him she would always be weak, weak and spoiled.   
  
She always had everything her heart desired handed to her on a silver-gold encrusted platter. Wealth, respect, and love included. He almost resented her because of those things, and many obvious others. She thought that she could measure up to them by completing a few petty missions, and be considered their equals. She was wrong. Sure, Winner was in the same boat she was wealth, respect, and love were handed to him as well, but Wufei had seen what Quatre had seen. He had felt, hell, he had been IN the same hell Quatre had been subjected to. The relationship between Quatre and Serenity made him wonder. The pilot of Sandrock usually kept all things of the female persuasion at a respectable distance, but was always by all means kind. With the onna he was relaxed, almost content.   
  
He was startled when he saw a small beam of light appear infront of him. Out of the beam of light appeared the little bio-holographic child he had been accustomed to seeing walking around the mansion. Sometimes individually stalking one of them or just looking for one of them. The amazing thing about the bio-hologram was the fact that it had the appearance and mentality level of an eight year old, while she was really one of the greatest security systems on the market. She solid when she wanted to be, and a mere hologram when she didn't want to be solid.   
  
"What do you want Onna?", Wufei asked surprised at the light tone in his voice. His sentence didn't come out nearly as biting as he wanted it to be.   
  
"What's the matter with you Wu-man?", the little girl asked solidifying, blinking as if offended.  
  
"Onna, my name is WUFEI!", warned the Chinese pilot his eyebrow twitching.   
  
"What? No it's not. It's Wu-man!", Andromeda replied back thoroughly confused.   
  
"WUFEI! W-U-F-E-I!", he shot back waving his katana for emphasis.  
  
"But that's what Shinigami told me to call you.....", Andy trailed off her jade green eyes filling with tears.   
  
She hadn't meant to insult him.   
  
"MAXWELL! YOUR BRAID IS MINE!!!!!", Wufei shouted into the air fuming as Apollo screeched angrily above him.   
  
He had just scared off any good lunch within miles.   
  
"WHAAAA!!!!!!!", cried Andy loudly with twin waterfalls coming from her eyes.   
  
"Onna, hush yourself!", Wufei ordered putting his katana away.   
  
Maxwell wasn't within striking distance.   
  
"WHAAA!!!!!!", she continued as the tree full of crows shook as they all made a hasty exit.  
  
"Onna!", Wufei shouted looking desperately from left to right.   
  
"Stop your crying. He isn't going to kill you.", came the cold monotone from next to the distraught Chinese boy.   
  
Wufei looked gratefully at Heero who to his surprise had the purple cat riding on his shoulder.   
  
"Really?", asked Andromeda cracking one watery eye open.   
  
Heero nodded and adjusted the laptop under his arm.  
  
"Okies! Well, I'm just here to tell you that Qat-kun found Sere-chan, and that lunch will be served in ten minutes.", she continued placing a finger on her chin thoughtfully.   
  
"Well, bye-bye now!", she called and in the blink of an eye she was gone.   
  
"Yui what are you doing with that disgraceful cat?", Wufei asked with a snort as the cat rode contentedly on his shoulder, as Heero was heading back.   
  
"Hn.", Heero replied sending the boy a glare and walked back to the house in the company of his feline friend.  
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
IN THE BIG BAY WINDOW IN THE HALL OF THE GAME ROOM   
  
Minako sat staring out the window at a fuming Wufei, who had just shouted something she couldn't understand from her distance. And then made Andy-chan cry, and then surprisingly Heero made her smile, with Luna on his shoulder. Artemis, her own lovable white neko with the same strange odd moon on its forehead as Luna, sat in her lap purring contentedly. Minako stifled a giggle as she saw Wufei slump his shoulders with a slight pout on his face, before he continued to practice with his katana for a few more moments. With a sigh she realized it was almost time for lunch. Lunch was always served at 12:30 promptly in the Croft mansion. A smile came to her face as she remembered that the Croft Mansion was not a mansion per say, but more like a castle estate. It was huge. It was the biggest building she had ever seen. It was so mind boggling because she knew that even though she had been visiting the mansion since she had been six years old, she still had over 3/4 of the gigantic house to see.   
  
Minako sighed as she began to try to figure out what was going on. The boys all had something to do with it. 'A mission for what?', she wondered closing her eyes and leaning against the wall. It hurt that her own flesh and blood would hold back on her, but what hurt even more was the fact she wouldn't let him go. Her heart yearned for a certain platinum hared blue eyed Arabian prince. But sadly enough, this Desert Prince was in the clutches of her already attached cousin. Minako felt a streak of guilt in her heart for blaming her inner turmoil on the beautiful princess of the Croft mansion, but she couldn't help it. Serenity just had to let Quatre go, she couldn't keep leading him on, especially when there was a girl ready and waiting for him. Minako could feel it in her heart that Quatre thought he loved Serenity, but she knew he didn't, it was just a childhood infatuation that would soon pass. After all she herself could please Quatre much better than Serenity ever could, Heero was her first attachment ....ever! She had no experience with flirting, cuddling, kissing....... anything!   
  
'I really should start a web site called YourLifeSux.com', she thought imagining making a soap opera out of her current situation.   
  
Sighing she went back to wondering what they were keeping from her.   
  
"Hey babe, mind if I join ya?", asked a cheerful voice from above her.   
  
She bit back a shriek as she opened her eyes to see none other than Duo Maxwell smiling down at her.   
  
"Nope, not at all.", Minako replied pulling her legs up and sitting Indian style.   
  
"What's on your mind?", he asked nonchalantly leaning back on the opposite wall, closing his eyes, arms behind his head, sitting Indian style.  
  
Duo Maxwell was handsome with his bronze skin, long beautiful auburn hair, shining cobalt eyes, and his cheery disposition. Sitting the way he was, as if he hadn't a care in the world, he was to put it mildly quite sexy. 'But he's not who I want.', she thought decidedly squelching her growing thoughts. 'But what are they keeping from me?', she wondered her shoulders slumped.   
  
"Why does it seem like everyone knows something I don't?", she asked him twirling a finger in her hair, a habit both she and Serenity had developed when they got nervous.  
  
"That's because everyone does know something you don't.", He replied cracking an eye open, to peer at her.   
  
He couldn't help but tell her something, she had looked so sad, and ........... heart broken when he found her. He'd do anything to make someone smile, to brighten his or her day. Well, not anything........ just as much as he could pull off without being shot by Heero, or de-braided by Wufei.   
  
"What?", Mina asked leaning forward a little, hoping to hear a bit of information.  
  
"Babe, I swear I'd tell you if I could, but if I did then one of us guys, maybe even Serenity, might be given a mission to kill you. And missions are taken seriously, we don't fail no matter what the cost.", he replied seriously as her face paled a few shades, she had never seen him act or speak like he was now. Like death had warmed over.   
  
"Can't you tell me anything, anything at all?", she begged using bright puppy eyes to try and convince him.   
  
"Well..........", he started trying to think of something that might not put her life in danger. "Tell anyone that we had this conversation........ and not even the great Shinigami will not be able to save you."   
  
"Serenity and Heero only made out that first day because it was part of their mission, and like I said we don't fail.", Duo replied finally, mischief returning to his eyes.  
  
"What do you mean it was part of their mission?",Minako asked incredulously.   
  
Her cousin had made out with a boy for a mission? Was he saying that the relationship she had seen in the past 4 days between the two was a farce?  
  
"So Heero and Sere aren't together?", Minako asked biting her lip.   
  
"Oh no, babe, I'm not saying that their not together, I'm just saying that the kiss was pure mission material. Decide for yourself by what you think. But that's all I can tell you.", Duo replied hastily, not wanting to be in too much trouble. Even though he knew he was already busted for telling her as much as he had, he didn't want it to be made worse.   
  
"So if she's not with Heero, she's with Quatre.", Minako stated flatly ignoring his past statement.  
  
Duo peered at Minako suspiciously looking for a reason to all her absurd questioning. It hit him like a sledgehammer as he realized that Minako had it bad for Quatre, and she thought Serenity was with him.   
  
'I'm not even sure what's going on between those two.', he mused unsure of what to tell the bubbly blonde.  
  
"I don't think you should worry your pretty little head over this, all I told you was merely a speculation from the way I see it. Babe, I may not even be right.", Duo stated slowly trying to stop the tears he saw in her eyes from flowing over her eye lids.   
  
"I see........", she replied with a frown on her face, trying to force back the onslaught of tears she knew was coming.   
  
If, IF she wasn't with Heero........ That meant that if she and Quatre wanted to have something going on in secret of their mission........ It was perfectly possible. 'It would be well within Serenity's power to be..... attached to Quatre.', she thought with a small gulp as her heart jumped to her throat. She'd have to make Serenity see, make her let him go.   
  
"By the way, Andy dropped by me in the hall and said Quatre found Serenity, and lunch will be ready in--", Duo started looking at his watch,"Five minutes."  
  
Minako hopped up with a groan, it would take them at least ten minutes to walk there, but if they ran.........  
  
"Common Duo we're gonna be late! If Aunt Lara were here we'd be dead before we could move!", she yelled taking off down the hall, a sick looking Artemis in her arms, and a hungry Duo following behind her.   
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE LIVING ROOM  
  
"Where are they?", wondered Serenity aloud a streak of worry passing through her eyes.   
  
Duo and Minako still had yet to show up. Everyone else had finished their lunch and it was now one-thirty in the afternoon. She was almost ready to send Andromeda after them.  
  
"They probably got lost.......", Quatre reasoned flipping the page of the book he was reading. He had found it on the corner table, and all in all it was interesting. He still believed that Minako and Duo got lost though, although he had never gotten lost, when Duo was involved, anything could happen. Besides it was a big house, a very big house. It dwarfed even his own mansions, getting lost was understandable. The others had only seen the house at night through the vision of a Gundam, nighttime vision didn't do the house any justice.   
  
Serenity growled lightly under her breath as her watch went off. It didn't beep as before, but it vibrated making it less noticeable to Minako.   
  
"J?", she asked flipping over the watch top, and peering at the old man.   
  
"Yes, no need to be so testy, Shi. It's not a mission per say. Just wanted to make sure you remembered.", J defended flinching slightly at the glare her blue eyes placed upon him.   
  
"How could I forget?", she growled out, unhappy with the way the other four boys were now looking at her. 'You're going down for this one J.', she thought as she realized she was going to have to become one hell of a liar. Trowa could spot a lie a mile away.   
  
"Just doing you a favor. By the way Duo and Lady Aino should be along any time now. 02 hacked into a laptop to get a map of the house.", J informed giving a small smirk. "And tell him next time he decides to blow your cover to Lady Aino, make sure his communicator is off.", he finished before the screen went blank.  
  
Serenity stared at the blank faced watch while her temper began to rise. Slowly surely the cold mercenary that slept inside of her until needed, awoke, and this warrior, this soldier was not, by any means, a happy camper.  
  
"That loud mouthed BAKA!", Wufei shouted swinging out his katana angrily. If Maxwell didn't get there soon, Wufei was going to hunt him down and make him eat that braid of his. Piece by piece.   
  
'This isn't good......', mused Trowa watching Serenity's face contort into pure fury. It was disturbing to see the face of an angel mutate into an unfeeling mask before his very eyes. It sent chills up his spine when her eyes visibly hardened, glaring daggers and promising death. Her eyes were the same cold heartless blue that the eyes on her mask glowed. Both having the surreal tint to them, showing the feelings of a large rock.   
  
'How dare he?!?!', Serenity raged to herself. He had purposely put Minako's life in danger, and to top it all off, J knew! Lives were not expendable, and J was not joking. If he ordered them to kill her because she knew, she would die, no questions asked. If it ever came to that, Duo Maxwell would die a horrible painful death, one that she could not even fathom. Minako would not be brought into this any further; She would personally make sure of it.   
  
"Serenity, I'm sure Duo didn't tell her everything. J didn't say we had to..... to........ do anything.", Quatre started trying to calm her down, a hand on her shoulder. If the cruel doctor ordered them to kill the bubbly blonde, he didn't think he would be able to go through with it. Sometimes he envied Heero. To be able to kill with out conscience, without wondering if he was doing the right thing. Quatre shook his head set the book down and slid his arms around her middle, careful to avoid her ch--- *Ahem* Any blush-worthy areas. He sighed as he felt her relax at his touch, hoping she would calm herself. It wasn't good when her temper got the best of her.   
  
While Serenity leaned slightly against him, lost in ways of murdering the long hared pilot, he pondered Duo's actions. He himself was angry with Duo as well, no doubt about that, but they didn't need him dead. Besides even Duo wouldn't disclose a secret of that much importance to a civilian, without proper cause. The only question left was, what was Duo's cause? He was a pilot and a friend, and for his sake Quatre hoped he had a reason so great, that the Almighty had descended upon the Earth to watch him say it. It was then that the silvery blonde in his arms tensed again. 'Here we go.', Quatre thought to himself, trying to console her. In the process of helping the only female pilot, he missed the death glare that was placed upon him from pilot 01, a fatal mistake.  
  
"When I get my hands on him he is going to beg for an early death. I will not stand for his recklessness.", she bit out in monotone stepping swiftly from Quatre's warm embrace, as if she had never been sitting let alone being held in the first place. She swept past the couch and towards the door with movements that portrayed exactly how much agility and speed she possessed. Her movements were fluid as if she were composed of liquid steel.   
  
"Onna, your so weak you wouldn't even lay a hand on Maxwell.", Wufei scoffed waiting for her reaction.   
  
She whipped her arm out at him and five knives flew out at him. One knife landed in the back of the chair above his head, another centimeters from his right ear, his left ear with the same disposition. The remaining two knives were imbedded deep in the chair on either side of his neck. Wufei wisely kept his mouth shut, as she held one more knife in her outstretched hand, he had no doubt that the next place the knife would be heading towards would be the center of his forehead. When his silence continued, she then stormed out of the room, although seeming to float out.  
  
"Unlike you guys, Serenity might actually kill him. She doesn't make empty threats.", Quatre murmured standing up hurriedly, Trowa following him. Quatre's heart was tight within his chest, it wasn't his own worry and anger, it was Serenity's. She was too angry to remember to completely block her emotions from him. And if he was only feeling it second hand, he didn't want to know what she was going to do to Duo.  
  
Heero and Wufei shared a look that clearly asked,'Empty Threats?'  
  
Wufei removed the knives from the chair and set them down on the table. 'The onna has aim.', he thought silently studying the ornate handle of the blade.  
  
Wufei and his remaining comrade then silently left the room, looking for a certain braided pilot, intent on going in for the kill.   
  
______________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
IN THE HALLWAY OF THE SECOND FLOOR  
  
"Maybe it's this way............", Duo trailed off looking at the computerized map a little confused. 'This is ridiculous!', they hadn't seen a living soul in nearly a whole hour.   
  
"I think it's the other door three rights back.", Minako replied thoughtfully looking for something familiar.   
  
"No, I---", Duo was cut off as a sudden force whipped him around and crashed his through a locked door, jacking him up against the wall, his feet barely touching the ground.   
  
"What the HELL do you think you're doing Maxwell?!?", demanded an enraged female voice, holding his collar in a tight grip.   
  
Duo peeked his eyes open and he visibly paled as he caught sight of Serenity's icy blue eyes boring holes through him.   
  
"Serenity what are you doing?", demanded Minako thoroughly shocked that her sweet, good-natured cousin, was going to beat the boy senseless.   
  
"Whoa, Babe, you wanna put me down?", Duo asked with wide eyes. Suddenly death threats no longer became a game, he knew she was serious, dead serious.   
  
"Telling her things she's not supposed to know, and having your communicator tuned into J's main computer, will earn you an early death Duo.", she hissed angrily, her eyes flashing with barely contained rage.   
  
Duo's cobalt blue eyes widened, as he realized what she was talking about. Fear gripped the pit of his stomach as he realized that he might have inadvertently caused Minako's death sentence, not because he was looking at his possible executioner. He had only tried to make her smile; To stop her from being so curious and, trying to lead her away from the mission factor, to something more present.  
  
"Serenity, please calm down, He didn't think---", Quatre started as he tried to get Serenity to set him down. She had always had an unusual strength, and that would conclude why she had Duo six inches off the ground. Heero and Wufei appeared at the same time, nearly gaping at the sight of the solid oak door, now irreparable splintered wood. What surprised them both was to see the sixth pilot holding Duo off the ground and against the wall.   
  
'She's so small, frail even, how can she sustain herself and Duo?', Heero wondered repressing the reflex to grab his gun, and shot at Serenity for trying to kill his comrade. It was a habit to weather he admitted it or not, to protect his own. Then he realized, with a tiny twitch of mirth, that Serenity was one of his own. Dimly he noted that Trowa had been out in the hall comforting a frightened Minako. Apparently Serenity had appeared out of nowhere, and had slammed him through the door first thing.   
  
'Kill now, ask questions later.', he mused in his head, watching the scene unfold.  
  
"Exactly Quatre, he didn't think." , Serenity fumed tightening her grip on his collar for a moment, trying to calm herself down. For Quatre's sake, for Minako's sake, for all their sakes. 'I won't let him jeopardize my family. They will NOT be brought into this.', she stated in her head slowly releasing him, letting his feet drop to the ground.  
  
"I don't give a damn who you think you are. Minako is my family, and she will not die because of you're idiocy. If a life it to be taken, trust me it shall be yours.", she spat out at him, giving him an icy glare that could have made Heero's look like a smile in the sunshine. No one messed with her family, no one.   
  
She didn't see how he could be so careless as to put an innocent life in danger. She didn't see how he ever became a pilot, a man willing to spill a dangerous secret just to gain the affections of a woman. She also didn't see the sadness in his eyes, or the shame, or the anger. The anger at himself for being so ridiculously stupid.   
  
"What's going on?", asked a confused Minako, her eyes tearing up at the sight. Trowa's hand was upon her shoulder in a comforting manner, for that of which she was grateful. She was confused. Her cousin never hurt anyone, now she was threatening Duo within an inch of his life.   
  
"Minako, Everything he told you this afternoon, I want you to forget it. If you value your life every word of it.", Serenity stated in a monotone, watching Minako nod and shrink away from her gaze.  
  
"Good.", Serenity replied coldly sweeping past Heero and Wufei, ripping what was left of the broken door off it's hinges, and throwing it across the hall in the process.  
  
Minako stared after Serenity for a moment, but could no longer hold back her tears. The light in her eyes was gone. An unknown force had squelched the love out. No one could live long without the light, not sane anyway. She whirled around and cried into the nearest person's arms, which happened to be Trowa. Trowa stood shocked for a moment, a light hue upon his features, until he finally awkwardly led her to the couch, and sat down with her as she cried. Quatre shot Trowa a grateful look, in which Trowa replied with a nod.   
  
"Duo....", Quatre trailed off walking over to console the boy. Yes, he was disappointed in him, but he and the others had somewhat of an understanding that he some times said things without thinking. And he assumed this was one of those times.   
  
"Don't bother Q-man, she's right.", Duo stated with a sigh, waving his hand dismissively. With a defeated dark aura about him he left the room, without even noticing it, headed towards the hanger. A curious black cat hopped off Heero's shoulder and followed Duo, with almost acknowledgment of his plight shining in her maroon eyes.  
  
Even Wufei had noticed the boy's aura, and had bit back the harsh remarks he knew were on the tip of his tongue. Heero turned and slipped out of the room following Duo. He knew very well what it was like to be that angry with yourself. He knew very well what it led to. His own failed mission still haunted him, but it was more so the innocent eyes of the girl that haunted him. The innocent he accidentally killed.   
  
"She's crying.....", Quatre whispered a hand over his heart.  
  
"Winner, where have you been, she's been crying like a weak Onna for the past fifteen minutes!", Wufei barked out pointing at Minako.   
  
"I was talking about Serenity.", Quatre replied seriously.   
  
The anger he had felt from her before had dissipated, which was now replaced with sorrow. He knew Minako was worried about her cousin to an extent, and had cried about it, but he didn't feel her pain. With Serenity, sometimes if she forgot to block her emotions. Her pain be it mental or physical could be felt loud and clear to him.   
  
With a sigh Trowa realized that Minako had fallen asleep in his arms, tear streaks on her face. He stood up effortlessly, Minako in his arms, she was quite light. He was prepared to take her to her room; he couldn't leave her in an unfamiliar part of the house.  
  
"Here, Trowa, I'll take her.", Quatre offered, seeing as to how he wanted to go see Serenity too, and the first place he would check would be Serenity's room.   
  
Trowa nodded and carefully handed Minako to him, his visible eye holding a question, which he saw Quatre purposely ignored.   
  
"Thanks guys, I'll see you soon. Dinner starts at 6:30.", Quatre stated giving them both a smile before backing out of the room and walking towards the third floor bedrooms, not noticing the white cat following him.  
  
"Barton, up for a spar?", Wufei asked cracking his knuckles, he needed a better opponent than thin air. Trowa merely nodded and followed Wufei out of the room.   
________________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
IN THE HALLS OF THE HANGER  
  
Duo took long, fierce strides down the hall, his hands stuffed deep in his pockets. His head was bowed down as he hid his facial features in the shadows. He knew someone was following him, but he rightfully didn't care. He was on his way to work on ole Scythe. He was, to say the least depressed. And when he was depressed he worked on his Gundam, and when he worked on his Gundam he became immersed in his workings, forgetting the problems that surrounded him. It would be the easy way, the coward's way, to go drink away his miseries and get stoned. But he wouldn't do that, he had far more dignity than to reduce himself to that level. Besides it would take him case upon case of alcohol to even allow him to get a decent buzz. Sometimes being nearly immune to alcohol really stunk. He flicked a piece of auburn hair out of his face and waited for the newly installed automatic sliding door to open.   
  
" Maxwell?", called an old scratchy voice from his left. He turned sharply to see the bent old doctor walking towards him an unreadable expression on his face.   
  
Duo gave him a nod in return, inwardly grimacing as he pictured the man's next words. He knew he was in for it, but he hoped for some divine intervention, because he really didn't want to hear it. He had done his best to quench the girls want to know information, by supplying her with information that would keep her far out of their true agenda. But once again, as usual, his best just wasn't enough.   
  
"I commend you 02.", J stated the usual all knowing smirk gracing his face.   
  
Duo blinked and reeled back a little.  
  
"Excuse me?", he asked scratching the back of his head in confusion.  
  
"You lived through Shi, I commend you.", the doctor replied cryptically, giving a chuckle.  
  
"Shi? You mean Serenity?", Duo continued a small pout on his face; he didn't quite understand what the doctor was getting at, and he had the nagging suspicion that the man had finally flipped.  
  
"You see, Lady Croft, is my second creation. Another perfect creation, with one weakness however. A weakness different from the Perfect Soldier's, so different you'd never imagine.", J replied with a twisted smile, one that gave Duo the chills.   
  
"The Perfect Soldier's weakness is that he is too perfect. Ever wonder what he would do without this war? It's all he's ever known. Shi Tenshi's only weakness is her loved ones. She is the perfect balance of absolute assassin and absolute human. Her emotions are always in check when need be, and on display when not, whereas 01 is always a wall of ice. You are lucky to have lived through her wrath, no one may harm her family and walk away unscathed. In fact, I doubt you would walk at all. You really should thank Quatre for trying to keep her in check.", he preached walking into the hangar, Duo following dutifully behind him.   
  
"So, you're giving me a pat on the back for pressing her buttons and coming out alive?", Duo asked incredulously as they walked toward the catwalk that led to Death Scythe Hell.   
  
"More or less. I would be giving you just as much hell as she, had you told Lady Aino any more than you had. Very wise decisions in your choice of words 02, something that will keep her off our trail.", J stated aloud as he saw 02 hop into his cockpit to check the status.  
  
"Why don't you tell Miss psycho-punch-Duo-through-the-solid-door Serenity that.", Duo replied dryly, although relieved that Minako's life was not at stake.   
  
"I plan on it, tonight. She has some training tonight at eleven thirty. Make sure you're gone by then. When she's in her Perfect Soldier persona, there's no stopping her.", the doctor informed before going off on his own to find Bryce. He needed to add three more entrances to the hangar, that would be invisible to all unless they knew what they were looking for. One in Heero's room, one in Serenity's, and one elsewhere.  
  
As soon as the doctor disappeared Duo's carefree attitude changed. He needed to be more careful, regardless what the old quack said. He was needless to say, surprised when a small furry object jumped into his cockpit.   
  
"ARRGGHHH!!!!", he hollered dropping his scanner and jumping back.   
  
"Meow?", came a soft sound that resonated innocently through Death Scythe.  
  
"What the-", he trailed off turning the cockpit light onto a higher power. There he discovered Serenity's cat, Luna.   
  
"Hey, how did you get down here?", he wondered picking the cat up carefully, at patting it's head. He traced the little yellow upturned crescent moon on its forehead with wonder, then continued to stroke the cats fur, which obviously pleased it. Luna reached up and nuzzled his chin, then continued to purr in a comforting manner. Duo was surprised when he looked at the cat's eyes to see an almost intelligent sheen to them. He quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought as not getting enough coffee. He poked his head out of the cockpit to see who had brought the cat down, and was surprised to see Heero. The boys lips were curved upward ever so slightly, even so, making Duo feel faint at the thought of his best bud smiling.   
  
Heero watched the cockpit of Death Scythe intently after the cat went up there. He smirked as he heard Duo's cry of surprise, and waited for the boy to pop his head out. When he did, he knew instantly that the fun loving pilot would be fine as soon as Serenity verbally forgave him. He gave an internal sigh of relief; He had to watch over his own, if he didn't, who would? Quatre had abdicated the position as leader, and now it left him in charge. Duo disappeared back into his cockpit with a *thunk* and a loud cursing spree, followed by another line of vulgarity that would have left Quatre in a daze for weeks on end. Heero's eyes showed just a bit of amusement as he listened to his fellow pilot and almost as an after thought he thought, 'Yup he'll be fine.'   
  
Heero wandered about the lab for a few moments, studying the layout. His eyes narrowed slightly as he caught sight of three rolled up sets of plans on the immaculate stainless steel desk. Heedless to any trouble he might get into he walked over, and unrolled the first set of plans. It was labeled Fire. He studied the plans and the column like machine with a single solid door while the rest was made of steel enhanced glass. He recognized the plans from somewhere, and realized that the plans could create..... malformations in the host, or more than likely kill him if the radiation was rejected by the body. One way or another it would hurt the guy that had the radiation on him. Wait a second, the plans weren't meant for a him. In fact none of them were. They were indeed meant for a female, about five feet five inches, long hair, slender framed........... Gundam Pilot.   
  
'Shit', he cursed mentally making sure he was reading the plans right. J was trying to make an ultimate weapon out of Serenity, an Elemental. It was a painful process that would more than likely ...... kill her. No one had ever survived.   
  
"Duo!", he snapped, his baritone voice sounding throughout the empty hanger.   
  
"Yeah, buddy?", Duo asked popping his head out of the cockpit, the cat resting on his head.   
  
"Get down here.", Heero replied in monotone spreading out all the plans, for better observation.  
  
Duo was at his side moments later, eyeing the plans the same way he had. It was almost uncanny how serious Duo could be when the situation called for it. Duo's eyes widened as he scanned the three sets of plans. He looked back at Heero with an eyebrow raised, and Heero nodded.   
  
"Damn.", Duo cursed aloud pulling his braid over his shoulder; The neko had been trying to get at it for the past ten minutes. Luna almost seemed to sulk as her toy was taken away.   
  
"So what do we do?", Duo asked Heero, looking back at the plans.   
  
"We tell the others.", Heero replied in monotone rolling the plans up again, leaving them the way they found them. He silently wondered if Serenity knew exactly what she was getting herself into. As he followed Duo to the elevator, he came to the conclusion that if she didn't he'd be there to tell her. After all he always took care of his own.  
  
Unbeknownst to them a figure stood still in a darkened corner watching over them. A small smile graced her face as she saw their reactions, and when they left, so did she.  
  
________________________________________________________________________________   
  
  
IN THE HALL..........   
  
Quatre ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Serenity's feelings were growing fainter and fainter the further he proceeded, thus he found himself back tracking towards Minako's room again. He felt a twinge of guilt, as he continued past the room Nukuru had kindly offered to watch over. He knew Serenity was close by because Nukuru had handed her the package her parents had sent when she saw her heading towards her room. Again he felt a twinge of guilt, but couldn't console Mina until she woke up, and he wouldn't intentionally wake her. As he passed Serenity's room he paused, and tried the handle. Unsurprisingly the door was locked.   
  
*Darn it!*, he yelled in his head, as he closed his eyes, trying to reach for his childhood playmate with his empathy. Slowly he followed his gift to the end of the hall on the third floor. He opened his eyes to find himself staring at a solid wall. The wall, that as far as he knew was solid. He quickly did a search for a hidden panel, and during his search he found that the further he reached up on the wall, the stronger he could feel Serenity's emotions.   
  
*Of course!*, he thought taking off down the hall to the stairs, a relieved smile on his face. He really could have slapped himself for being so stupid. He quickly tackled the long staircase to the fourth floor, and followed her emotions until he once more came to a stop. This time, however he stopped at a door. The door was decorated with carvings of ancient things, entwined with roses, surrounded by thorns. His trained ears picked up a soft melody, one that was hard to hear through the solid door. With a small smile he quietly slipped into the room, and had it been Heero in the room, he would have been caught, but since it wasn't he was home free.   
  
________________________________________________________________________________  
  
  
30 MINUTES EARILER IN LARA CROFTS BEDROOM  
  
Serenity lay in a fetus like position on the king size four poster bed, body racked with sobs. What had she become? 'Exactly what you wanted.', answered her conscious, making her weep all the harder. She would have never, never done that to the playful Duo before her training. She had threatened to take away a human life that wasn't her enemy, for an unsure cause. For her rash actions she felt horrible for them. Duo's back probably hurt like hell from being slammed through the door. He'd probably never even speak to her again.   
  
Her guilt multiplied ten-folds when she thought of how she had acted towards Mina. Cold, unfeeling, and to put it lightly, she had acted like a monster. How ironic, she ended up hurting the very person she was trying to protect. She buried her face in the light blue silk sheets of the bed, wishing for her parent's safe return.   
  
"Mama, Papa.", she whispered clutching a pillow to her chest, trying to force the pain out of her heart.  
  
After her crying had subsided she carefully slipped from the bed and walked to the bathroom to wash her face. 'I look horrible.', she mused turning on the cold water. She splashed her face, and washed it off, drying it with the handy towel. She giggled as she read the towels. The one she had used said, 'I'm with stupid.' The other one said, 'Hey, I'm not stupid!'   
  
With a sigh she hung up the towel and took down the rest of her hair, it had become a tangled mess, the sooner she dealt with it the better. Her hair was sometimes a handicap, but she couldn't bring herself to cut it. She picked up the wooden handled brush, and began the grueling task of brushing out her now floor length hair. She hummed a song as she continued to brush her hair, wincing as she pulled just a bit too hard. With an aggravated growl she continued to hum and resumed untangling her silvery blonde mane. Needless to say she was quite surprised when the brush was taken from her hand, and her eyes snapped open. Through her reflection in the mirror she could see Quatre standing behind her softly pulling out the knots in her hair. He didn't have 29 sisters and learn nothing. Serenity gave a small smile and began to sing the little tune instead of humming it. Quatre was as careful, and as gentle as he could possibly be as he precariously pulled at the brush, marveling at how soft her hair was, and how long it had gotten. Slowly he pulled her hair into a tight braid, much like Duo's.   
  
"Better?", he asked her softly as her eyes slowly fluttered open, she had looked so sad.   
  
"Yes, thank-you Quat-chan.", she replied reverting to his old nickname.   
  
He gave a slight blush at the endearment, and gave her a reassuring smile.  
  
She in turn slid an arm around his waist and leaned her head on his shoulder. His blush deepened and he hesitantly wrapped an arm around her pulling her closer. 'And we do this standing in the restroom...', he trailed off an amused smile on his face. Quatre led her out of the bathroom, and took a seat on the bed, patting the space next to him. She sat down obligingly, pulling her left leg underneath her.  
  
"Now, I understand that you're mad at Duo, but he didn't---", Quatre began but Serenity cut him off.   
  
"I'm not really that mad at Duo anymore, I'm just a little upset because I let my temper get the best of me.", she stated sadly her head drooping slightly.   
  
"If I were in your position, I would have probably lost it too. We all know Wufei would have.", he pointed out with a boyishly kawaii smile, eyes glittering.   
  
"I just wish they'd come home already.", she stated after a few moments of silence. She picked up the framed photograph off the nightstand. It was a picture of her parents and herself in the states, from when they had gone on vacation.   
  
Quatre absent-mindedly placed a hand on his chest where his heart resided. He could still feel her profound sadness though she was now trying to shield it from him. It wasn't working. As if they were still children in those innocent impressionable years, he wrapped his arms around her, leaning on the headboard of the bed. Serenity curled up against his side and leaned her head against his well-muscled chest, willing her tears away. 'Mama wouldn't cry.', she thought burying her face into the folds of his shirt.  
  
'She misses them so much.', he mused stroking her back as she burrowed herself deeper into his arms. It was almost as if she was trying to hide from the world in his embrace. He knew she was strong, but the missions, the killing, the battles, they were all new to her. With or without training she needed to adjust. She could not go from a life of near pacifism, to the life of a cold-blooded assassin. It just simply was not possible. He remembered his first real battle with a grimace. It was then that death became real to him. It was then that it almost became tangible for him to touch. He also knew that all she needed was to be held, to be comforted, to be assured that all would be well, to lessen her grief. And if the gods deemed it so that he would be the one to do those things for her, by Allah he would. As it was he firmly believed 'Time healed all wounds.' But sometimes he just couldn't seem find the time to heal them.   
  
Quatre's eyes flickered to her face and realized she had dozed off. 'Crying really tired them both out.', he thought referring to Minako. As he tried to disentangle himself from her she gripped his light blue silk vest, and began to tremble fiercely. He frowned and pulled her close again, and soon thereafter she calmed and continued to sleep peacefully, dark ebony eyelashes, dusting over her pale cheeks. "Oh well.", he sighed aloud reaching around her to set his watch to six fifteen. For the next half-hour he continued to watch her sleep, still clinging to his vest. He kicked off his shoes and drew both his legs and hers onto the bed, under the covers, noting the chilly breeze coming through the open window. As soon as he settled down Serenity unconsciously searched for the warmth he had been emitting, that had been missing from her when he had covered them with the blanket. When she found him, she wrapped her arms around his waist, mistaking him for a teddy bear, and while he blushed heavily, he once again encircled her in his protective embrace. Serenity's head rest just below his chin, and he could feel her soft steady breathing, occasionally brushing warm air against his bare neck, making him shiver and his eyes clench shut. Scolding himself slightly for feeling things he knew he shouldn't have, he slowly slipped into a dreamless slumber, once again the child that had been playing with his friend out in the field.   
  
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Well here's the chapter! I hope you all enjoyed it, please review! There aren't ANY couples chosen yet! None! Although like I said no Trowa/Sere or Wufei/Sere, I can't stand reading about those couples, so WHY would I WRITE about them? I'd like to thank Joisu-chan, for just being the greatest, AND I'd like to say poo on all of you who flame, without good cause. So THERE!  
  
Much Love SerenityMoon  
  
  
  
  
  
PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 


	5. All's Fair In Love And War

Author: ~*SerenityMoon*~  
Title: Welcome to My World  
Chapter: 5  
  
Hello!   
  
Last time someone asked me why I don't like Trowa/Usa or Wufei/Usa (Purely out of curiosity).   
  
Number one is that there's been this HUGE outbreak of Trowa/Wufei+Usa fics lately, and I can only take so much of the same thing before I get sick of it. I never get tired of Heero/Usa fics, no offense to anyone, however I haven't seen any GOOD Heero/Usa fics as of late. (With a few exceptions, you know who you are) Even still, there haven't been enough Heero/Usa fics to get tired of. It's one thing to have a lot of Heero/Usa fics, but it's another that some people just write them to say that they have a story.  
  
Number two is that putting Usa with Wufei is like putting Rei with Quatre. Not to mention scary and unjust, but just for me a major turn off for fics.  
  
Putting Trowa with Usa is like putting Michiriu with Duo. Scary isn't it.  
(Uranus waves space sword angrily)  
  
Now before you say anything about Heero and Usa being opposites and that they don't belong together, listen up loud and clear people. Usagi and Heero are so opposite they ATTRACT. Take a look at the Usa/Mamo relationship. What kinda person is Mamoru? (Dark, dreary, BORING, cold-hearted, and really closed off from the rest of the world.) What kind of person is Usagi? (Cheerful, bubbly, warm, kind, and a very open person.) I don't know about you all but the Dark verses Light romance scenario is really gettin' familiar. (Ex. Heero+Usa, and Mamoru+Usa. And in the manga the SM romance works quite well so why not for Heero and Usa.)  
  
NOTE: The previously written romance opinions have nothing to do with my fic, except the Trowa Wufei thing.  
  
WARNING: THIS CHAPTER HOLDS LOTS OF WAFF!!!!!!!!!! (WARM AND FUZZY *Insert romance here* FEELINGS!)   
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
LAST TIME  
  
Serenity's head rest just below his chin, and he could feel her soft steady breathing, occasionally brushing warm air against his bare neck, making him shiver and his eyes clench shut. Scolding himself slightly for feeling things he knew he shouldn't have, he slowly slipped into a dreamless slumber, once again the child that had been playing with his friend out in the fields.   
  
_______________________________________________________________________  
  
IN THE GYM  
  
*SMACK*  
  
The sound of bare skin slamming onto the training mat cracked through the air. Wufei growled angrily, he was blindfolded, and losing badly, more than his pride would allow. He and Trowa had decided to hone in on his skills. Wufei relied on his eyes far too much, neglecting his other senses. Such as the ability to hear your opponent, or to feel the air change when the enemy attacked. Trowa was easily beating Wufei because of the boy's loss of sight. In a fair fight Wufei would have easily beaten him, but for now Trowa had the upper hand. Besides, most fights are never fair.   
  
Wufei crossed his arms over his bare chest, trying to listen for sounds of movement. He didn't really hear anything until his senses warned him, but by then he was already having an intimate moment with the floor.   
  
He heard a small sound and immediately dodged and dropped down performing a swift kick to the other boy's ankles, which unfortunately missed. Wufei muttered obscenities under his breath, which caused Trowa's only visible emerald eye to sparkle with mirth. Wufei threw a punch at his opponent, followed by a fake to the left, finally brushing the material of Trowa's shirt with his right hook. Thinking fast he reached out further and grabbed a handful of the shirt and flipped Trowa over his shoulder. Trowa, who had anticipated the move, landed on his feet and swept Wufei's feet out from under him, letting Wufei have another un-ceremonial meeting with the unforgiving training mat.   
  
Wufei took off his blindfold and glared up at Trowa, wiping perspiration off his forehead. Trowa offered the boy a hand up and Wufei took it, silently admitting it was a good fight. Trowa knew that Wufei wasn't angry that he had lost, but only fueled to try harder next time. He knew this because Wufei had taken his hand without hesitation, accepting the fact that for now, he was the better fighter.   
  
"Hey, are you guys done yet?", came the voice of none other than Duo Maxwell.   
  
Wufei was about to retort to the long hared boy, when he realized that his fun loving comrade was completely serious in his question. Trowa nodded, while Wufei adjusted his towel.   
  
"Good because you guys have got to see this.", Duo replied his eyes a strange color, not quite violet, but more a piercing navy blue. He then turned on his heal and walked down the hall, signaling for the other two to follow. Wufei grabbed his discarded shirt with a raised eyebrow, Trowa in tow.   
  
  
_______________________________________________________________________________  
  
HEERO'S ROOM  
  
Heero typed dutifully bringing up the Elemental plans out of the main computers hard drive, loading them onto his laptop. Through his searching he stumbled upon each of the pilots accounts; Accounts he wasn't even aware they had. It looked as if every time they completed a mission a large sum of money was deposited, and for a failed mission, money was deducted. Whenever they needed to use a hotel during a mission that's where the money came from to pay for it. That's why they all had credit cards with money on them, that strangely worked with any currency.  
  
Duo had been gone nearly twenty minutes looking for the others, twenty minutes too long. Heero's eyes flashed with annoyance as they again flitted to his watch. He then returned to his constant companion, his trusty top-of-the line laptop, and checked the scanner for the prints. Luckily, something went right that day. 'Somebody up there likes me,' he thought as the plans loaded on screen. With a cringe, he realized he was becoming more like Duo as the days went on.  
  
Finally, the ornate solid oak door in his bedroom swung open to reveal three of the four missing pilots. His eyes swept over them wondering where 04 was. Heero cast a withering glance at Duo that clearly asked, ' Where the hell is he?'. Duo just looked at him with a look that said, 'I dunno.' Heero gave a glare and internally sighed, there was no use in trying to find Quatre, he could be ANYWHERE in the mansion.   
  
"Look at these.", Heero stated handing the laptop to Trowa, who shared the screen with Wufei. They both retained slightly confused looks on their faces, until something clicked.  
  
"Why were we dragged away from training to look at these?", Wufei demanded, he had no use for the old unused worthless sets of prints. The prints explained a possible way to create a type of super human. This super human would be called an Elemental, and the elementally enhanced human would have fought for the colonies. Though, in the end, the plan was abandoned for fear that the 'super human' would turn against them. A shame really, because if the plans had worked, it would have made the war pretty one-sided. After all, with enough training an experienced Elemental would have been able to control their respective weather.  
  
Heero glared at him warningly, whereas Duo rolled his eyes.   
  
"And you call me a baka. Look at the bottom right hand corner of the screen, and at the model behind the plans.", Duo pointed out an insolent smirk on his face.  
  
Wufei was about to retort but the intensity of Heero's glare silenced him and he did as Duo so kindly suggested. The model was 5 feet 4 inches, with long hair, really long hair, and kind of odd looking to be male. He looked down at the corner of the graph and frowned. F/GP/06. Female, Gundam Pilot, Serenity Croft. It wasn't a male.   
  
His eyes widened a fraction of an inch and Trowa frowned as they both had different views on the new situation. They both agreed, however, that if J attempted to turn Serenity into an elemental, bad things would happen. Either Serenity's body would accept the radiation, or it would reject it and, slowly make all her cells explode, all the while keeping her alive to experience every molecule of her being disintegrate. No one deserved that kind of senseless death. If her body accepted the radiation, it could cause permanent physical changes in her. Such as, hair color, skin color, eye color, height, weight, and body temperature.  
  
"Either way, we've got to stop her from doing this. We, I, don't think she understands.", Duo voiced gravely, as Trowa snapped the laptop shut.  
  
"We can't stop her.", Heero spoke up in monotone staring at Duo with eyes that were hardened long ago.   
  
"Yui's right. We can only explain and hope she understands,", Wufei started, but continued with a snort,"But I doubt that Onna would understand anything anyway."  
  
"So we find her before she does it.", Duo stated wondering exactly how much time they had.  
  
"11:30.", Trowa stated quietly, his emerald eye filled with determination.  
  
"11:30 what?", Duo asked scratching the back of his head in confusion.   
  
"We have till 11:30 tonight.", Trowa stated calmly turning around and walking out the door, molding himself to the shadows as he went. He had some business to attend to, before anything else happened.  
  
"So I guess we split up, find her, then contact each other as soon as we find her.", Duo rambled off, giving Heero a mock salute, then walking out of the room.   
  
Wufei looked at the braided one amused, they'd see her at dinner, so he didn't see the use in looking for her until then, if she didn't show. It would be a waste of his time. She was a waste of his time. But she didn't deserve the death she would surely face if she went of with the procedure, there were only two recorded survivors from the testing but they were permanently disfigured and useless for the war, demoted to wheelchairs for life.  
  
________________________________________________________________________________  
  
SERENITY'S DREAM  
  
'Mercury LOOK OUT!', a girl with raven black hair clad in red screamed tackling the shorter blue hared girl to the ground.   
  
'VENUS........ CRESCENT BEAM....... SMASH!', called out a girl with astounding beauty, although her eyes held a great amount of sadness in them, but her determination and her love for the other fighters around her overpowered the sadness.  
  
The beam tore at what seemed to be a droid, covered in protective armor. She sighed in relief, as some of its green blood dripped out, but then her mouth formed a circle of horror as the wound healed itself almost instantly.  
  
"SUPREME...... THUNDER!", called out a tall amazon warrior, her muscles tense ready to spring at the slightest movement.  
  
The droid howled in pain and shot out its weapon at the nearest senshi, which happened to be the senshi in red, who had twisted her ankle from pushing the senshi in blue out of the way. She was helpless as she waited for the oncoming blast, the blast that would surely kill her with her energy as low as it was.   
  
"Die sailor brat!!!", the droid yelled spitefully, inwardly proud of itself.  
  
"MOON TIARA STARLIGHT ACTION!", called out a crystalline voice from behind her. A golden tiara circled above the droid's attack, sprinkling stardust on the attack, neutralizing it.  
  
"In the name of the Moon, I shall punish you! For hurting my friends and those dear to me you're going down!", shouted a girl in a familiar sailor fuku, with her long golden hair up in spherical buns on either side of her head, a white domino mask covering her eyes.   
  
"MERCURY AQUA ILLUSION!", shouted the girl in blue stunning the droid.   
  
"MOON PRINCESS ELIMINATION!!", called the girl with her hair in buns. A beam of pure energy swirling with gold and silver, flew out at the youma disintegrating it from the first contact.  
  
"Sailor Moon!", cried out the four other senshi pouncing on her with giant hugs.   
  
________________________________________________________________________________   
  
END OF DREAM  
  
Serenity's eyes flew open, and she took a sharp intake of air. 'What?', she wondered her eyes darting back and fourth, something white and blue obscuring her vision. 'What a dream.', she murmured trying to sit up. To her utmost surprise she felt arms tug her back down, and hug her close like a security blanket. She suddenly realized that she was staring at a cloth-covered chest, a white long sleeve button up shirt beneath a silken blue vest. She dared to look up and to her greatest relief she saw Quatre's sleeping face turned towards her.   
  
'If that wasn't the weirdest dream I've ever had, I don't know what was.', she thought stretching a tiny bit. She realized her arms were draped about his waist, and with a small sigh she tightened her arms and buried her face in his chest, simply enjoying being near him. She felt a wave of protectiveness wash over her as she watched his chest rise and fall. At the same time she felt, peaceful, as if nothing could go wrong, almost as if she were... drugged. What was this drug? This, this, intoxication that she was slowly becoming addicted to. She drew in a deep breath, and with a small smile she realized he smelled faintly of roses. Just like the ones out in the garden.  
  
Serenity reached up and brushed the platinum bangs away from his closed eyes. His hair was surprisingly soft to the touch despite its slightly spiky appearance. Carefully she ran her fingers down his cheek, tracing his jaw, studying the man he had become. She hadn't taken the time to actually figure out the differences between the way he was now and, how he had been. Sure, he was taller, stronger, his voice was deeper, but that was to be expected. His features had lost most of their boyish quality leaving a more mature, less naïve man of the world. His hands were callused, portraying endless days of work. They were much larger than her hands, making hers seem almost child-like. His eyes were a piercing aqua-marine, which could now be called blue, his hair a lighter platinum, and his skin lightly tanned. She wanted to know him again, wanted to know what he had been through. What he had seen and done, what he was planning to do. She wanted to know everything.   
  
She felt warmth well up within her and smiled despite herself. He looked so angelic, almost as he had three years before. Serenity gently laid a hand upon his face once more, flinching slightly as she felt him stir. He was so dear to her. She let her hand rest on his cheek, and his eyes slowly fluttered open. Confused blue orbs.   
  
"Serenity?", he questioned blinking and yawning.   
  
"Morning sleepyhead.", she replied smiling as he settled back down again, not ready to wake up yet. He looked at her carefully as if making sure she was all right. A few moments later his eyes grew focused, as if they had been cloudy skies that had changed to an icy clear blue. His gaze still pegged on her was somehow different. It stirred something so familiar, and yet so forlorn within her. His eyes pierced through her, seeming to see things that even she did not.  
  
"Thank-you Quatre.", Serenity stated softly after a few moments, not making any notions to move from his embrace. His eyes had suddenly captivated her, and slowly surely she was drowning in them. She was suddenly very aware of how close they really were.   
  
"Your quite welcome.", he murmured quietly, pulling her closer. He felt heat rising to his face and desperately fought it away. He knew that he should have pulled away but he couldn't bear to let her go again. He knew he had harbored feelings for her, but as of late they had inflamed, and he didn't know what to do with them. She was so close, so very close his thoughts became jumbled and distorted. She filled his senses, and with a sudden clarity, he didn't think he could continue to live without tasting her. He blushed at the thought, but alas his actions weren't hindered by his screaming conscience.   
  
"Forgive me.", Quatre whispered hoarsely. He dipped his head and gently pressed his lips to hers, caressing them softly, praying she wouldn't be angry with him.   
  
Serenity's eyes were wide open as he kissed her, she hadn't expected it, and it was a shock. The warmth inside of her suddenly exploded and when that happened she lost all semblance of reason. Her eyes drifted shut as she began to respond to his caress, butterfly soft, sugary sweet. She had never felt so alive. All of her nerves felt like they were on fire, it was unlike anything she had ever felt. All her senses seemed heightened as he drew patterns on her back, slowly, painfully, driving her insane.   
  
He was surprised, nevertheless joyful when she responded and he took his chance to deepen the kiss. By Allah, he knew it wasn't right, but he couldn't help himself. He sucked on her bottom lip forcefully, bringing all the blood to the surface, making it as sensitive as possible. She gasped sharply and arched her body against him, curling her fingers in his hair, shuddering as cold air brushed against her warm skin. His tongue darted out and brushed against her swollen lip causing her to gasp once more. Taking advantage of her gasp he gently brushed his tongue against her teeth, and finally she gave him entrance to what he wanted. He finally tasted for what he sought for, what he had tried to deny himself of. He now knew what it was like to taste a small piece of the heavens, and he didn't want to let it go.   
  
She didn't know what to think, how to think, she could only feel. It felt as if he was consuming her and she him. The kiss somehow still seeming gentle to them, was in reality harsh and bruising, fueled by mutual feelings kept inside of both parties for far too long. Slowly they both broke away, lingering kisses keeping them from stopping completely. Quatre finally dropped his head into the crook of her neck, with haggard breathing, feeling as though he had just run and won a triathlon. He could feel her heart beating against his chest just as fast as his if not faster. Serenity absentmindedly ran her fingers through his hair, still in the warm bliss that had overtaken them both moments before. His hot breath blew repeatedly on her neck, and she shivered slightly almost surprised at the burning desire she felt for him to continue where he had left off.   
  
Sometime during the exchange Quatre had ended up on top of her, and as he brought his head up to look at her face he felt a blush rise to his cheeks and he looked away, ashamed and upset with his actions. Serenity caught his reaction and frowned.   
  
"S-serenity I--I-didn-I really shouldn'-I'm-", he stuttered giving the color red a new name.  
  
Serenity placed two fingers over his swollen lips and silenced him. Hesitantly she leaned up and kissed him as he had originally done to her. Quatre sighed into her mouth and wrapped his arms about her waist kissing her in a gentle, loving fashion as if apologizing for losing control.   
  
Serenity couldn't decide which kiss she liked better. With the last she had felt raw passion, but with this one she felt loved. Safe and loved. She wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling muscles ripple beneath his clothing. Her heart felt as if it were about to burst, and once again trying to pull the suicidal action of jumping from her chest.   
  
"Serenity, I'm sorry. So very sorry.", Quatre started his voice thick with emotion, guilt written angrily across his features.  
  
"Sorry for kissing me? Or sorry because it was me?", she asked brushing hair out of his eyes.  
  
"A little of both.", he replied sadness creeping it's way into his voice. He hadn't meant to lose what little restraint he had, but to his shame he had. He couldn't take back what he had done, and the apology didn't take away the bruised look of her lips. His face flamed with embarrassment, and he couldn't bear to look her in the eye.   
  
"Why?", she whispered a little crestfallen at his response. 'Would he have been sorry if I were Mina?', Serenity wondered bitterly, suddenly feeling cold.   
  
"The only reason I'm sorry it was you, is because I never wanted to hurt you, and now I have. I'm sorry for kissing you because I never should have done it without your saying so.", he quietly explained immediately sensing her emotions changing.   
  
Serenity felt a bit less frigid as he explained what he had meant, but nonetheless a little confused.   
  
"You didn't hurt me, I would have told you so.", she told him suddenly lapsing into naïveté. Which sometimes, she was still prone to do.   
  
"Yes I did. You and Heero never went beyond simple touches of lips, but we did. I stole that part of your innocence. And-", Quatre continued grabbing the silver handled mirror off the nearby nightstand, and showing her, her tangled hair her, red face and bruised, undeniably swollen lips.   
  
He felt like a-a world class creep. She should have slapped him a million times and disowned him as a friend. On the grounds that he was a man who forced himself on beautiful young girls. Guilt weighed upon him like a death shroud as he waited for her to push him away, to leave, that she never wanted to land eyes on him again. His eyes swirled to be a thick intense, remorseful blue. A shade of blue that made Serenity shiver because of the amount of emotion she saw there.   
  
Serenity's brain finally jumped back where it should be as she processed his explanation. She felt a light frown play across her face as she realized what he was blaming himself for. She didn't consider the kiss she had shared with Heero as her first kiss. That kiss was born of a mission, and meant to stay that way. The two she had just shared with the man next to her, were what she considered her first. They meant something to her, they were special, they were from a man she knew and loved. Love? Is that what she felt for him? Was that the 'drug'? She glanced up at him again and saw guilt ridden eyes, and a broken hearted face.   
  
"How could you have stolen that so called innocence, if I freely gave it to you?", Serenity asked him softly looking him dead in the eye.  
  
"But I-", Quatre started flushing a bit at her words.   
  
"You nor I have nothing to feel guilty over. Just tell me one thing, why did you kiss me?", she asked him resting her head on his shoulder, arms wrapped around his neck.   
  
Quatre was silent for a few moments, and with a sigh, loosened his arms around her. His eyes were shut tightly, trying to think of a way to explain it. To explain the way his heart pounded when she came near, how he had tried so hard, not to let his feelings take over. The late nights he had spent awake thinking about her.   
  
"Ever since a dream I had a few weeks before you saved us in the base, I couldn't stop thinking about you. Then when I saw you kissing Heero right after I woke up, I was ... angry, jealous, upset. That's why I fell asleep on the balcony. Then later still, every time I saw you, every time I thought of you, I had these feelings for you that wouldn't go away. I tried so hard, so very hard to ignore them, to deny them, to push them away, but I didn't try hard enough. When I woke up the first thing I saw was your face, and suddenly I couldn't hide it any more. I couldn't ignore the feelings I have for you, and they took over. I couldn't help it.", Quatre rasped in her ear with each sentence his voice becoming thicker.  
  
Serenity stayed silent, not knowing what she should reply, if she should reply.   
She shivered a little and he wrapped his arms around her back and waist, creating a safe haven.  
  
"Where do we go now?", she asked seriously, lifting her head from his shoulder to look at him.  
  
"I........ don't know.", Quatre replied quietly, searching her blue eyes carefully. Searching for a sign that she could tell he was lying. He knew exactly where he wanted their relationship to go. He wanted to be with her always. To be able to whisper words of comfort in her ear when she needed them. To be able to protect her, help her, guide her, keep her, hold her. To love her freely, and more importantly to have her love in return. Yet, he was afraid.   
  
Quatre felt an unusual frown fall upon his face as he realized the irony of it all. He could have a stare down with death unafraid on any given day, at any given time during that day, but he was frightened of a girl just over five feet tall. He knew what he wanted, but was it going to work out in the long run? Would it become a complication during missions? Would it only bring pain, instead of happiness? He didn't know, and that unnerved him. For once he didn't know.   
  
Serenity narrowed her eyes a little as soon as his eyes left her face. He wasn't telling her the truth. More than anything, she hated being lied to. It was not acceptable. A small wicked smile slowly spread across her face, as she suddenly had an idea. It wasn't very nice, but neither was lying.  
  
To his surprise she disentangled herself from his arms and stood up off the bed walking towards the window. She swayed her hips just so as she walked, and knew very well she had his full attention. She stood looking out the window a few feet away from it, hugging herself tightly. She turned her head slightly towards him and assessed his current expression. He was confused. Good.   
  
"So it would be all right with you if I went to the next ball with Darien Chiba then? I mean according to Mina he's a mortal Adonis.", she started coyly, yet still managing to sound innocent at the same time. She was fascinated at her ability to hide her utter loathing, disgust for the man, by covering it up with honey.   
  
Quatre verbally said nothing, but his disapproval was evident by the frown on his face.   
  
"Or maybe I could go out with Duo, I bet he'd love a full body massage after that beating I gave him. I am certified to do that you know.", Serenity continued nonchalantly flitting her eyes towards him, surprised to see his reaction. Quatre had stood up clutching his fists tightly, his head turned.   
  
"Better yet I could convince Trowa to go swimming with me. I bet he'd look great in swim Trunks. I just got a new swimsuit too. You know, one of the two-piece ones that tie on in the back.", she went on, talking about her plans as if he was Mina. Quatre had turned towards her now, fists clenched so tight blood was going to begin seeping from his cuticles. He had an unusual menacing scowl upon his face, and his eyes..... By God, his eyes. They smoldered at her, a darkened aqua-marine, so dark his pupils looked to be non-existent. He looked ready to kill as his eyes gained an unusual sheen.  
  
"Or", she started turning away, and leaning on the window sill with both hands," Or maybe Heero and I can continue where we left off."   
  
Before Serenity could even think of moving arms were hugging her around the waist tightly, pulling her up against a firm body. She hadn't even heard him move, felt the air shift, let alone anticipated his actions.   
  
"I forbid it Serenity. I forbid any of it, do you hear me?", Quatre ordered, his anger obviously controlled, yet barely contained.   
  
"Why, I'm not dating anyone.", she stated flatly, leaving her hands straight at her sides.   
  
Quatre merely lowered his lips to her bare neck, and kissed it softly, smiling as she rolled her head to the side, giving him easier access to her sensitive flesh. He sucked and nibbled at the spot he had originally kissed, till it turned a purplish red. Then suddenly as if he had just realized what he was doing he jerked his lips away, muttering clean curses under his breath. The nearly sixteen year old boy thought for a moment, shocked that just seconds before he had actually considered maiming several of his fellow pilots, one in particular.   
  
"I don't deserve you after all I've done. Yet I want to be with you anyway.", Quatre mused aloud, missing the triumphant smile on her face and the mischievous light in her eyes.  
  
"Whatever you've done is in the past, and by all means should stay there. I don't care what happened then, as long as you're safe here with me now. I trust you, I forgive you, I even think I love you.", Serenity breathed leaning back against his muscled chest, trusting him to keep her from falling. She hoped he didn't turn her away at this point, because if he did she didn't know what she'd do.   
  
Quatre's heart swelled and tears pricked at his eyes. He had been afraid she wouldn't understand, wouldn't trust him because of his shortcoming's. He nearly choked as he realized she had more or less admitted she loved him, and the love pouring off of her was pure, true, and real. And to his relief, to his wonderment, to his greatest joy it was meant for him.   
  
"Be mine Serenity. You don't have to answer me now. In fact I don't want your answer now. I want you to think it over, and then when you're positive it's what you want, let me know. I don't care how long you take.", Quatre whispered in her ear, reaching up to tuck the loose wisps of hair behind her ears in a loving manner. Serenity nodded and turned, burying herself in his arms, her hands tucked between them resting on his chest.   
  
"You have my heart.", he whispered quietly bringing tears to her eyes, watching as the sun slowly dipped behind the horizon.   
  
It was then that a shrill beeping came from Quatre's wrist shattering the tranquil moment.   
  
"What the.....", Serenity trailed off after having nearly jumped a mile high, as the noise kept going.  
  
"It was only my watch. We have fifteen minutes before dinner.", Quatre explained with a chuckle as he watched her try to calm down without him noticing. He reached around her turning off his watch, and then settled back with his arms around her.   
  
"Ugh. We better get going before Hilary sends a search party.", Serenity muttered, reluctantly pulling out of his arms. As she walked towards the door she spotted the box Nakuru had handed her on her way upstairs. It was slightly larger than a shoebox and marked with fragile stamps everywhere. She had forgotten all about it.   
  
"Do you think we have time to open it?", asked the silvery blonde flipping a switchblade out of nowhere.   
  
"It won't matter if we're a few minutes late...", Quatre trailed off with a smile, inwardly wondering what was in the package.   
  
"Sugoi.", she replied cutting the packing tape with the blade. When she was done she put it away and pulled open the box, which was loaded with the protective bubble wrap.   
  
"It'd be just like Papa to send me a whole bunch of this stuff with nothing else.", Serenity muttered with an amused smile.   
  
She finally got to the treasure hiding within the bubble wrap and found it to be a beautiful crystal jewelry box. A letter fell out as she found a secret compartment.   
  
*Baby-girl,   
  
How are you? You haven't burned the house down yet... Have you? Your Mother and I are well, although she's not speaking to me for some reason or another. Ah, well I'll figure it out later. I hear Chibi-Mina is staying with you while we're gone, although I personally thought it was a rotten idea. I bet she's not so little anymore is she? I love Minako like she was your sister and all, but with your new eh, 'job' I don't suppose it's easy keeping it a secret from her. But Lara thought it was a great idea and thus, Mina is staying with you. We found that jewelry box in a really oddly lit cave, and thought it was perfect for you. Check for a surprise in the right hand drawer. The Topaz is for Mina, we got it in Viennese, I hope she likes it. We hope you love your new jewelry box, and the surprises it holds. Just tinker around with it you'll see what I mean. Well, we hope to see you soon! Lara sends her love! We both love you Serenity, always remember that.   
  
Love,   
  
Lord Alex West*  
  
Serenity smiled and folded the letter back up, placing it in the compartment that had opened. She found a small crystal jewelry box there and found the word 'Mina' taped on top. She then saw a silver chain and found it to be connected to an ornate silver cross, imbedded with small sapphire jewels. 'Baby-girl' was taped on the back of the cross.   
  
"That's beautiful.", Quatre stated eyes wide at such a precious gift. He tugged it gently from her hands and dutifully clasped it around her neck.   
  
"Thanks Quat-kun.", she replied giggling at his blush. Serenity then slid her hand into his and lifted the box in the other, Minako's gift on top. Quatre squeezed her hand gently as they walked out of the room content for a time.   
  
They went first to Serenity's room to deposit the jewelry box, and toss out the packaging.   
  
"Do you want to head downstairs while I get Minako?", Serenity asked him walking towards her bedroom door.   
  
"Sure, but you m-might want to wear a s-scarf.... or something....", Quatre pointed out blushing heavily, his head turned away.  
  
"Why would I need to-", she started then spotted the purplish mark on her neck in the mirror," Oh.", she finished with a bit of a flush.   
  
"I'll see you downstairs.", Serenity stated smiling as he turned to leave.   
Before he could go to open the door, Serenity stepped over to him and in fluid movements put her hand behind his neck and pulled his head down to kiss him. Quatre as if expecting it, maintained a blush, but managed to kiss her back, his hands resting on her hips, high enough to be proper.   
  
"What was that for?", he gasped pulling away, a small stupidly dazed grin on his face.   
  
"Till later.", she retorted with a smirk on her features, as she leaned over to grab a black gauzy scarf, and expertly tie it around her neck, hiding the -ahem- to put is it loose terms, the hickey.   
  
"I'll walk you to Mina's.", Quatre informed praying to whatever deity's there were, his blush could stay down for a time. He took her smaller, softer hand in his as she grabbed the small crystal box that was for Minako.   
_____________________________________________________________________________   
  
IN THE DINING ROOM  
  
"So, Wu-man, how badly did Trowa whoop your rear end again?", Duo asked for the third time enjoying the way Wufei's face turned multiple colors.   
  
'One, two, three,', started Wufei in his head, trying not to kill the insolent baka. The day had already been eventful enough.  
  
"I can't hear you!", Duo called his eyes twinkling in mischief.  
  
'Six, seven, eight', the Chinese man continued fingering his beloved Katana, ' Nine, Ten', he finished quickly, suddenly flying out of his chair at the braided baka who quickly ran out of the room.   
  
"DIE MAXWELL!", Wufei yelled slashing through the air towards pilot 02.   
  
And so the ageless game of cat and mouse began. It was quite like the children's cartoon 'Tom and Jerry'. The cat (Wufei) had the skills to kill the mouse (Duo), wanted to kill the mouse, and repeatedly tried to kill the mouse, and the keyword in this sentence is tried. The mouse always got away, finding a way to run from the cat. Hide and wait till it's safe to come out. Words to live by.   
  
At that moment the opposite dining room door creaked open to reveal the blonde hared pilot; His features innocent, his eyes something else.   
  
"Hello.", he called to them politely sitting wearily it in the comfortable chair. He sat as years of edict had taught him, back straight, elbows off the table.   
  
There was a sudden war cry from Wufei as the two pilots raced back into the room. As they ran by Quatre snatched Wufei's katana and Duo's braid in either hand from mid-air, pulling them tightly.   
  
"Owie, Owie, Owie.", muttered Duo darkly, ceasing any form of movement.   
  
"Not today you two, Please? The girls aren't in good moods, you two fighting won't help any.", Quatre explained softly, all the while a polite smile on his face, never wavering. There was little that could spoil his current mood.   
  
Wufei glowered for a moment, while Duo sighed it relief. Once again he lived to see a new day. Trowa sat with his arms crossed over his chest, slowly dissecting everyone and everything in the room. His visible eye widened slightly as he noted Quatre's extreme good mood. He silently wondered why the Innocence was so happy, something must have happened.  
  
"J is going to attempt to turn Serenity into an Elemental.", Heero stated bluntly, his cold eyes boring into Quatre's forehead.  
  
"W-what?", Quatre stuttered disbelieving.   
  
Heero whipped out his ever-present laptop, pulled up the plans and passed them to Quatre. The blonde hared boy took the laptop numbly, licking his suddenly dry lips. His eyes widened as he realized what Heero had told him was true. He passed the laptop back closing it with a blank look.   
  
"I see.", he stated softly running a hand through his hair, a serious look on his face. So much for his good mood.  
  
With little complications dinner was served a few moments later with everyone save the two girls in their respective seats.   
  
________________________________________________________________________________   
  
IN MINAKO'S ROOM  
  
"Mina, Mina, time to wake up...", Serenity spoke softly shaking the girl gently. Moment's later, large blue eyes a few shades lighter than her own, fluttered open slightly confused.   
  
"Sere? I just had the funniest dream. There were these girls in *yawn* short skirts and they beat up this *stretch* *yawn* this, youma.", Minako replied sleepily rubbing her eyes.  
  
"Strange, I just had a dream like that too...", mused Serenity aloud her eyes narrowing a bit.   
  
"Maybe we watched the same movie.", suggested Minako sitting up with her feet dangling over the edge of the bed.   
  
"Maybe.", the silvery blonde replied with a disbelieving frown.  
  
An uncomfortable silence spread between the two girls, as the event that had taken place earlier sunk in. Mina shifted uncomfortably where she sat, her gaze kept firmly on her hands.   
  
"Mina, about earlier, I'm sorry.", Serenity stated with a sigh staring out the window at the setting sun.   
  
Minako nodded accepting the apology, finally looking up at her cousin with a small smile. "Why did you yell at Duo like that, what happened?", Minako asked tentatively searching her eyes for the light. And to her relief it was there.  
  
"There's a lot going on right now, a lot I can't tell you. If you were to find out, it could cost your life. I love you Mina, and I don't want anything to happen to you. Promise me you won't go looking for trouble?", Serenity replied carefully making sure her communicator was off.   
  
"But I-", started Mina, if her cousin was in some kind of trouble she wanted to help.   
  
"Please...", the silvery blonde pleaded, her eyes watering slightly.   
  
"All right, I promise.", sighed Minako warily, gasping for air as Serenity hugged her tightly.   
  
'I just don't want anything to happen to you.', Serenity mused hugging her cousin gratefully.   
  
"Oh man, we're late for dinner. Come on!", Mina exclaimed looking into the mirror and fixing her hair, then in quick motions ran to the bathroom and washed her face.   
  
"Mina wait!", called Serenity as the blonde grabbed her arm on the way out the door.   
  
"What?", Minako asked worriedly, looking her cousin up and down, making sure she was all right.   
  
"Mum and Daddy sent this for you!", she replied holding out the crystal jewelry box.   
  
Minako gingerly took the box from Serenity and carefully opened it. She took in a sharp intake of air as she saw the topaz stoned necklace. The topaz stone was encased in a golden cage, tiny diamonds studding the bars of the cage. Mina happily put the necklace on admiring it on its golden chain.  
  
"Now we can go.", Serenity stated with a grin. With few words the two made it down to the Dining room, arm in arm, giggling at senseless nothings all the way.  
  
________________________________________________________________________________  
  
DINING ROOM  
  
"What?", Serenity asked annoyed slamming her glass down loudly. The five male Gundam pilots had been staring at her quite obviously all through dinner, it was beginning to grate on her nerves.  
  
"Later Serenity.", Quatre stated in a clipped voice. He was not happy in the least.  
  
Serenity seemed abashed at his tone of voice and looked at him with apprehension evident in her eyes. She felt a stab of pain course through her heart as he moved mechanically stabbing at his food in an almost furious manner. Duo suppressed a surprised whistle as he surveyed Quatre's current mood swing. He had done a one-eighty in less than twenty minutes. Making Wufei angry was one thing almost a sport, but ticking off the blonde hared pilot took guts. Guts and a whole hell of a lotta skill. And here where Duo had tried countless times, Serenity had done it without even trying.  
  
Finally, disgusted, Serenity pushed her plate away and stood up, murmuring a quiet, "I'm be in the living room." She placed a comforting hand on Mina's shoulder for a second, then swept out of the room the two double French doors swinging shut behind her, a scowl upon her face.  
  
"You guys just love to tick her off don't you?", Mina asked sarcastically glaring at Quatre for his harsh words. Even she noticed all the boys had been staring at Serenity, the gazes none too pleasant. Weather Quatre was kawaii or not, he had no right to treat her cousin like that. Mina glared harder as the sudden urge to protect Serenity from everyone and everything welled up within her.  
  
"You don't know the half of it.", Quatre sighed running his fingers through his hair in frustration.   
  
"Enlighten me.", Mina hissed back, flipping her hair over her shoulder. She was oh-so-sick of being in the dark. Remembering her promise to Serenity she bit her lip, and hoped she didn't accidentally break it.   
  
To her dismay and relief Quatre merely sighed and shook his head sadly, closing his eyes.   
  
________________________________________________________________________________   
  
LIVING ROOM  
  
Serenity sat bills and other odds and ends surrounding her on the floor, checkbook in hand, a pen behind her ear.   
  
"Four thousand for the electricity, one thousand for gas.", Serenity mused aloud signing the checkbook with flourish. This was going to take her awhile. She still had to do the pay roll, the on call mechanics, stable hands, the cook, various servants, Hilary, and Bryce. She found it a bit odd that Bryce still lived outside in the courtyard in a mobile home. They had eighty-one spare bedrooms at the moment and from what she knew the only reasons Bryce still lived outside were for independence and some other nonesuch.  
  
And she still had to have the door fixed that she broke in the Billiard room from when she slammed Duo through it. Add on another thousand dollars.   
  
Serenity sifted through the mail again, bills, bills, bills, bills. It'd be nice to get something in the mail that wasn't a bill. She stopped as she noticed a smaller envelope stuck between two of the bigger ones. She pulled it out and opened it carefully with the metal mail-opener. Serenity carefully broke the seal of the letter and opened it up to see, formal light blue paper, with beautifully flowing silver script.  
  
*September 14, 197 A.C.  
  
To the Lord and Lady's of the Croft Household,  
  
I Lord Motoki Furushuta heir to the throne of the Duchess Angelina Marie Reonaldi III, hereby invite Lord Alexander West, Lady Lara Croft, and the young Lady Serenity Croft to the birthday extravaganza of the Duchess. It shall be formal, black tie, ballroom wear. It shall be held at Gothamere Castle. You may invite up to eight persons to accompany you to this event, so that you may feel at home with your surroundings. It is to be held within the week containing November 4 through the 10. Please, do attend. If it could be feasible please place an RSVP in with our secretary, or talk to me personally within a week of you receiving this invite.  
  
Sincerely,   
  
Lord Motoki Chavez Furushuta IV*  
  
Serenity's brow furrowed as she tried to think of something that she night have to do other than a possible mission. A slow smile grew on her face as she realized she could do a little talking to J and have him pose the ball as a partial mission. After all, with so many people of importance in one place at the same time something was bound to happen. She could bring Minako along too. Motoki and Mina got along famously so that was one problem solved.   
  
She looked at her watch and realized it was a quarter after eight. Nearly time for her to head to the hanger. Serenity thought the plans over once more in her mind. They were fool proof nothing could go wrong. *gulp* Nothing.   
  
It was then that the double doors burst open, startling her so badly she jumped up and tossed the mail opener towards the ceiling. It stuck there. Serenity fought the urge to roll her eyes as Quatre walked in trailed by Heero and Trowa. While the boys continued to stare at her each of the gazes as unnerving as the next, Serenity being the girl she is decided to try to get her mail opener back, by jumping as high as she could for it.  
  
"You know *jump* you guys could *jump* knock *jump*.", she bit out having a bit of a problem with the height of the ceiling, and the fact that she was vertically challenged.  
  
"Damned high ceilings.", the golden hared blonde muttered spitefully, taking another futile jump.  
  
'I'd kill for a pair of Stiletto's.', she thought giving the mail opener the evil eye.  
  
Trowa crossed the room and effortlessly plucked the mail opener from the ceiling, barely stretching to do so. Serenity happily took the mail opener and plopped down on the couch with the rest of her mail, looking quite content to ignore them. Quite suddenly she began shooting Trowa dirty looks muttering things such as 'Bean Pole Trowa.'   
  
"I'm sure you're all well and happy to have your mail opener back, but that isn't why were here.", Quatre interrupted curtly running his hand through his hair with a sigh.   
  
"Oh, so now you all have to have a reason to come and spend a little time with me?", she asked in a sweetly fake voice, dripping with sarcasm. "I'm crushed.", she finished in monotone, giving them all a glare.  
  
"Serenity that's enough.", the platinum hared boy voiced wearily his previous anger replaced quickly by an extreme screaming worry. He looked at Heero who was already busily typing away, looking a bit aggravated that he had to bring up the same plans for the third time that day.  
  
"Why are you here?", Serenity asked pointedly her cold blue eyes boring holes through them. Burning them from the inside out, setting them aflame. Quatre unconsciously flinched at her look and finally gave Heero a small smile of gratitude as the laptop was passed in his direction.   
  
"Please tell us those aren't for what we think they are.", Quatre voiced sadly his voice almost pleading in itself for her to say a simple no. The laptop was passed to Serenity, who gave it a quick once over and her eyes slowly widened in shock.  
  
'How did they.....?', Serenity trailed off gripping the laptop so tightly it was beginning to make creaking noises under her fingers. She gave an inward weary smile, they should have known, the Gundam pilots were the experts. With sudden stiffened resolve she took a deep breath, and squared her shoulders. Trowa watched in fascination as once again they watched her face mutate from the guise of an angel to the emotional content of a concrete slab.   
  
"Where is Minako?", she asked staring pointedly at Quatre who seemed to shrink slightly under her gaze.  
  
"With Duo and Wufei in the game room.", Trowa replied stoically as she nodded in his direction, seeming to size the three of them up.  
  
"Follow me.", Serenity stated stiffly tossing the laptop carelessly in the easy chair. The boys followed without a moment's hesitation, keeping up with her mechanical motions. She walked briskly, her single braid trailing a few inches behind her.   
  
After ten minutes of walking through the twisting, turning hallways Quatre finally realized they were headed towards the Solarium. As Serenity pushed open the glass double doors that lead to one of the most beautiful places in the mansion, Heero voiced his suspicions. "Why are we here?", he demanded in monotone, in no mood for games.   
  
"Watch closely boys.", Serenity started softly seeming to order their attention with her quieted voice. "I'm only doing this once."  
  
The silvery blonde hared girl walked to a dead rose bush that had yet to be removed. It looked as if it had just suddenly died on the spot, rosebuds and bloomed flowers still intact. With the loving touch of a mother Serenity caressed a dead rosebud and watched with satisfaction as the a dull silver energy flew from her finger tips, surrounding the bud, and soon enough it exploded in a brilliant flash of blood red, blooming as in should have before it died. The stem turned green and the thorns grew strong and healthy. The green spread to the rest of the bush, while Serenity randomly caressed crusty brown roses and leaves. Soon enough the bush was healthy once more, vibrant with color and life. Serenity plucked three roses and cleared them from thorns with her switchblade.   
  
She handed each or the roses to one of the boys, which to their surprise felt warm, almost alive. Heero had his hand tensed just above his gun as he took the delicate flower. He had a strange flashback of a little girl handing him a flower, but shook it off. Each of them had one question on their minds as they examined the blood red roses teeming with life. 'How?'  
  
"Once again, watch carefully.", Serenity called posing the switchblade just above her wrist, as if in deep concentration.   
  
"Serenity what do you think-", Quatre was cut of by Serenity quickly slashing the blade across her wrist crimson blood flowing from her wound. Quatre began to bark out orders to the other pilots when Serenity shook her head.   
  
"Watch carefully.", she stated placing a glowing silver hand on top of her wound, palm down. In small flashes of light coming from the hand squeezing her wound, the blood flow slowed to a stop. Serenity took the hem of her shirt and wiped whatever blood remained on her away, then held up her wrist. Nothing was there, not even a scar remained to show for all the blood.   
  
"I should've remembered.", Quatre groaned looking heaven ward.   
  
"Yes, you should have.", came Serenity's clipped voice, her eyes hard. She was angry, to say the least. After all she had done, the things she had gone through, with the training she had suffered through she still hadn't managed to gain the one thing from the pilots that she had desperately wanted from the beginning. Their trust. Even Quatre the man she trusted with her heart, her life, didn't trust her with a ten-foot pole.  
  
Quatre felt like a bit of a dunce now. While her 'plant powers' were new to him, her healing powers were not. It had never occurred to him that she was an elemental, and heaven knows how much time he could've saved if he had remembered.   
  
"See boys, J isn't making me an elemental, I already am one by birth. All J is doing is enhancing whatever powers I have there before they spontaneously combust, thus making me a walking BOMB until after tonight.", Serenity explained giving one last soft pat to the bloom on the bush. Then quite suddenly she turned on her heal walking out of the Solarium head held high, defiance in her eyes.  
  
Quatre winced as he felt anger and a slight hint betrayal flow heavily from the girl he loved. Yup, he'd blown it. She thought he didn't trust her to know what she was doing. He did, but with something's, it was so hard not to worry. So maybe he didn't have complete trust in her yet. No, wait he did, but on different levels. If she were to agree to his earlier proposal he would trust her with his heart, in fact he already did. But when it came to battles, big decisions, or life threatening things, he had to question her. He had initially been angry with her for not telling him in the first place, but that anger had quickly passed and was replaced by worry.   
  
"We should probably go tell the others.", Quatre started glancing at his watch seeing it was after nine o'clock. He sighed as he heard the door on the other end of the Solarium slam loudly with a bang. Yup. She most definitely wasn't happy with him, or any of them for that matter.   
________________________________________________________________________________   
  
GAME ROOM  
  
"AHHHHH!!!!!! Wufei! Don't do that to me!!!", screeched a gi clad Duo racing through a stone room with a dungeon like appearance, trying to get away from Wufei who wielded a long bladed katana.   
  
"Get back here Maxwell!", Wufei yelled back clad in baggy black pants and comfortable running sneakers.   
  
Duo raised an eyebrow as he saw the black spiked gloves he was wearing spark with electricity. 'I wonder.', Duo trailed off a small plan forming in his even smaller mind. He stopped suddenly ducking out of the way of Wufei's katana, and clenched back his fist sending a punch straight to Wufei's gut. Wufei flew backwards from the blow and his tanned body sparked with rounds of electricity. Half of Wufei's life force depleted.   
  
"Yes!", Duo cheered doing a small victory dance; He had finally scored pay back on the Wu-ster. They were playing a game called Tekken 3, and what a fun game it was. It was also just like a training session, like a physical workout, all in all quite handy.  
  
His joy was cut short as he suddenly realized he was staring up at his body from the ground. "What the....", he trailed off a bit perplexed. It was then that he noticed his body had no head, and it was then that he passed out.   
  
'Braided-baka.', snorted Wufei cleaning off his sword with the hem of the now decapitated Duo's shirt.   
  
{Lord Wufei Chang may now proceed to the third level, in which he will battle Lady Minako Aino. Good Luck.},Came the female computerized voice from nowhere and everywhere all at once.   
  
Suddenly Wufei's surroundings blurred and all the colors meshed together, till they abruptly stopped, leaving Wufei standing on a gigantic crystal platform, poking with spikes here or there. His eyes widened a bit, the air was actually cold, and he could literally smell the clean cool ice.   
  
{Ready, Fight!}, the voice suddenly yelled, leaving Wufei to wonder, 'Fight What?'  
  
"My, my Wufei-san, do you like my turf?", asked the bubbly voice he knew all to well as Minako. Wufei jerked around and there standing before him was Mina, in a black leather Micro-mini skirt, with thigh high black stiletto's, a far to tight black and purple corset with a black duster topping it off. A dark purple bow resided in her hair with a black domino mask. On her hands were leather gloves the fingers cut out, and in her hands was a long double bladed staff,   
  
Wufei being the modest, honorable man he is nearly passed out from the sudden blood rush. He pinched his nose, hoping it wouldn't bleed and give him away.   
  
"Wufei-san, Are you all right?", asked the devilishly clad girl worriedly, he looked really red for some reason.  
  
"Let's FIGHT Onna!", Wufei yelled ignoring her question, and charging at her suddenly, performing a move in which she blocked. He threw another light punch and again she blocked. Obviously she had some experience, that he and the other pilots had failed to notice.  
  
"Oh, come on you didn't think that *CLANG* Serenity trained alone now did you?", she demanded of the slightly stunned pilot of Nataku.  
  
"What kind of training, Onna?", he demanded praying to all of his many deity's that she wasn't speaking of Gundam training.   
  
"Duh, Serenity and I have taken training lessons together since we were ten!", Minako shot back flipping over his head, and swiping at his back, which unfortunately missed.  
  
"Humph.", Wufei shot back inwardly relieved that another Onna wouldn't be joining the team. One was more that enough, especially with the one that they had gotten stuck with.   
  
The more experienced fighter slowly growing bored with the pointless banter, quickly put more force into his fighting. He soon had Minako backing towards a corner, in which he would make quick work of her. With quick precise movements he aimed his katana towards her middle at a run. To bad he didn't notice the slightly uneven ground he was treading upon, and in an almost graceful fashion his sword missed his target, and sliced cleanly into the ice wall behind her. Due to the fact that his katana continued with its route, he was forced to follow it, slamming into the blonde hared girl, nose to nose.   
  
Wufei's eyes widened at her sudden close proximity, even more so at the fact that he could accidentally feel her every curve from the way he had crashed into her. When Mina's face flushed red, it snapped Wufei back to reality, but as he tried to pull off of her, he realized he couldn't. He looked down at the small space between them and saw something poking out of, or shall we say into, his chest.   
  
"Looks like I win.", Mina breathed out softly sidestepping as far as she could so he could see that it was indeed her staff impaled through his middle, the spiked double bladed ends keeping him there. In a blur of colors they were back in the virtual game system, and exiting the doors to the game room.   
  
Duo was already there still shaking the fuzz out of his head.   
  
While Mina stripped herself of the VR suit wires, she silently congratulated herself in beating Wufei, however much of an accident it may have been.   
  
"Hey, Duo-san, Did ya see? I beat Wufei-san!", Minako told him rushing over after hanging the suit up.  
  
"Wow babe, who would've thought!", Duo congratulated, grinning at her brightly. Nearly six months ago he would have wondered about the -san attachment to the end of their names, but after taking the Japanese, French, and Spanish lessons Quatre had insisted he take, he understood.  
  
"Injustice.", Wufei muttered darkly standing next the large metal doors, his arms folded angrily across his chest.   
  
"What should we play next?", Minako asked the two boys pulling things up on her laptop. A picture of a man with a tail standing next to a beautiful dark hared woman, the label read Final Fantasy. Another picture of a strange looking creature, almost like a yellow mouse or cat, labeled P. Stadium. There was a basketball game with two pro players standing back to back, labeled Street Ball. But what caught Duo's eye was the game without a label, but with a picture of a creepy mansion, lightening flashing in the background.  
  
"Let's try this one.", Duo suggested double clicking it for her.   
  
Mina nodded happily and reattached her wires while Wufei just walked in the doors, determined to beat them both at their own game. Duo reattached his wires and trailed after Wufei calling, "Wait up!"  
  
As a blur of color took place the trio found themselves on the edge of a dark, seemingly forbidden forest with gnarly old trees, containing jaggedly bent branches that seemed to try and grab them as they went past. Lightening flashed behind the house illuminating the area and bats screeched overhead, flying towards the full moon in a cloud shaped flock.   
  
"Whoa!", Duo exclaimed looking down at his current attire. He wore bright black rubbery plumber's overalls with a luminescent white T-shirt underneath. A white handkerchief resided in his back pocket, while he wore rounded shiny black shoes, with a black plumber's cap on his head. Wufei wore the same thing as Duo, only where Duo's was black Wufei's was bright crimson red. Minako wore a bright orange slightly rubbery looking sun-dress with a white T-shirt with puffy round sleeves, and chunky orange high heels. She also had on an orange plumber's hat tilted off to the side with her hair in an orange bow.  
  
"Ewwww...", Mina whined as she surveyed her outfit. Whomever had created it lacked fashion sense AND style.   
  
Suddenly three vacuum packs floated infront of them, each a respective color. The grabbed the packs, and put them on their backs, walking towards the frightening house. Sudden lights lit to show the way, and soon enough Duo was creaking open the big double doors of the mansion, peeking carefully inside.   
  
"Hey, I've got a flashlight!", Mina told him turning it on. They wandered about the foyer for a few moments, and finally Wufei flicked on the light switch he had found near the door. The smell of must was in the air, as spider-webs covered everything.   
  
"Hey, I found a key!", Mina cried out from the top second level, and both boys raced up the stairs to go see. Duo shrugged as Mina handed him the key, and stuck it in the nearest lock he could find. To his surprise a pulsing noise sounded, and the door swung open.   
  
"Humph.", Wufei snorted and walked in the room followed by Duo then Minako. As they looked for a light switch, the three stayed close, not wanting to accidentally get lost. Suddenly a huge purple ghost swung down from ceiling, and threw bombs at them, cackling wildly.   
  
Two equally shocked screams of fright and terror sounded throughout the virtual reality system and flew threw the game room and out the hall.  
  
________________________________________________________________________________   
  
IN THE HALLS   
  
Quatre's head snapped to the right as he heard something echoing faintly through the house.   
  
"Did you guys hear something?", he questioned the two other boys flanking both his sides.   
  
Heero nodded and Trowa uttered a simple, "Yes."  
  
"It sounded like Duo and Minako.", Quatre mused aloud, feeling no direct danger from either of them.   
  
Quatre gave an unconscious smile to his two comrades, both of whom he could predict perfectly. The blonde boy sighed and ran a hand through his hair. A distressed look flashed in his eyes, and glared on his face as he thought of the lovely girl he had recently ticked off. He was still worried, he wanted to be there, he wanted to be the first thing she saw when came out. But she probably wouldn't have it. Not now. She thought they didn't trust her. She knew they respected her, but trust, it was something that was gained over time. 'Oh love, Forgive me.', he thought pushing away the sudden intense pricking at his eyes.  
  
Trowa watched the kind pilot with interest. The boy had been going from mood swing to mood swing, like a hyped up frog with toadstools. Happy, Disbelieving, Angry, Worried, and now desperately saddened. And that was in order. He saw the tears suddenly well up in Quatre's eyes, and just as quickly saw him blink and push them away, yet the downtrodden look stayed upon his face. Trowa placed a hand on the boy's shoulder, and Quatre looked at him a bit startled.   
  
In Trowa's eyes Quatre read the silent question of concern, and gave the older boy a smile. Trowa stared at him a few moments longer while Quatre gratefully took the silent comfort, and tried to give him another hopefully more reassuring smile. It must have worked because Trowa dropped his hand and kept walking to the game room.   
  
________________________________________________________________________________   
  
IN THE 'BACKYARD'  
  
Serenity sat in a fresh out outfit, leaning against one of the walls of the tent. She stared at the tombstone in front of her and tried to put her thoughts together. The tombstone belonged to her grandfather. She had never met him, he died before she was born, but from the stories her mother told her, she felt as if she knew him inside out. And by now he knew her as well. She dropped by the empty grave every so often to fill him in on the goings of her life. Serenity fingered the daisy chain she had made while sitting there, and carefully placed it on the stone.   
  
"Am I doing the right thing?", she asked suddenly drying her damp eyes with a handkerchief.   
  
"Am I only making things worse?", the silvery blonde questioned as more tears overflowed her   
  
"Would Mama and Papa be proud, are you proud?", she continued never expecting an answer just a good listener.   
  
"What can I do to earn their trust?", Serenity mused shuddering as the cold night air blew.  
  
"Then there's Quatre, he's nice, sweet, and kind, but even he doesn't trust me. Not how he needs to anyway. What am I going to do?" ,she asked it wiping away a tear at the memory of his lips on hers, then just moments later his clipped anger. It had hurt her to realize that even HE didn't trust her.   
  
It felt as if she were suddenly empty inside, as she remembered his request. He wanted her to be his, as he had so plainly stated. If that was so, how could he have so little trust, so little faith in her. A more rational voice inside her head whispered, 'He was worried. They were worried.', but she would have none of it. If one of them had decided to do this, they would have never reacted in such a way.   
  
"I'm only 15, why does this have to hurt so much?", she cried out to the ghost of her grandfather, feeling that he was the only person who understood.   
  
She knew it was her decision to be in this war, but she also knew it was only a matter of time before she would have been 'recruited' for it by the doctors. Her parents were luckily oblivious to this, but she had heard Dr. J's late night workings with Dr. S. Their relief that they didn't have to force her into it, that they didn't have to go through two of the most dangerous parents in the world to get to her. That was why the Gundam had been finished so quickly, for it had been started years before her father had requested one made. She had no way out, once she was in, she was in for good. It really didn't matter what she wanted anymore, it never had in the world of the Doctors. They were cold heartless bastards who never thought of fighting the war themselves, but making children fight it for them. One way or another, she knew she would've become a Gundam pilot, by choice or by brute force. There was no choice in the matter. And that's why she chose by choice, she was able to live in her own home, and stay with her family.   
  
But now she was at a crossroads and at the moment it was more pressing on her heart that completing missions. To accept or decline Quatre's proposal. Her heart and mind firmly protested the thought of not being with him, but her conscious kept her from accepting completely, and it kept her wondering.   
  
With a shaky sigh she leaned in a corner of the tent, and began to cry. She had cried so much today. She felt like a crybaby, who didn't get her way, but deep within she knew that was far from the truth. Crystal tears flowed out of her eyes, and down her porcelain face, dripping onto the concrete floor. She wasn't sure how long she had cried, but paused when she heard a low sound, almost a whimper. She blinked and blearily looked up, trying to control her harsh breathing. To her relief and shock Shiro, Luna, Apollo, and Artemis were staring at her. The giant white tiger sauntered over to her and curled around her from behind, his head resting on one of her hands.   
  
The two neko's pranced into the tent and both curled up against her purring loudly. The falcon stared at her with an unnerving gaze, and soon enough swooped down to land on the edge of the tombstone, carefully walking towards her. Serenity reached out and he fluttered onto her arm, resting there carefully. Serenity leaned against her tiger, cradling the two cats, the falcon perched on her shoulder, nuzzling her cheek. She felt the tears come again and did nothing to stop them. She wanted to be within his arms once more. Only he could stop this sudden pain, which he had suddenly brought. She yearned for him in such a way that she felt as if it were pulling her apart.   
  
Her watch suddenly played a little tune and she knew it was 10:50. Time to go. She fruitlessly dried her tears, and for the first time since all this mess had started she had trouble pulling up her 'game face.'   
  
"Wish me luck.", she whispered, not only to her grandfather but her animal friends as well.   
  
'We do hime, we do.', the black cat thought shaking tears out of her own maroon eyes.   
  
"Luna, she'll be all right.", Artemis consoled rubbing his cheek against hers, licking away her tears.   
  
"In every lifetime she goes through so much pain, why?", Luna cried out curling up next to her male counterpart.   
  
"That is something we'll never know.", the white cat replied rubbing her tail with his, a paw on her flank.   
  
________________________________________________________________________________   
  
11:00 GAME ROOM   
  
"I'm pooped.", Mina stated drowsily stumbling down between Heero and Trowa, kicking her legs over Heero's lap, and resting her weary head in Trowa's. Heero looked at her as if she had grown another head, while Duo hoped Heero wouldn't pull out his gun. Trowa looked mildly shocked eyes wide open. With a sudden start he realized she trusted them. She trusted the most deadly assassins in the world. Searching her eyes deeper he found that she trusted them with everything she was, as if they were the only things she could truly believe in.   
  
"Go to sleep.", he murmured to her softly, brushing a golden strand of hair from her face.   
  
"Mmmhmm, yes mum.", she replied her eyes drifting shut. The Virtual Reality System, as fun as it was, did take a lot of energy out of you. Especially for someone so small. A few moments later her breathing became even, and she gave light snores.   
  
"I'll take her to bed.", Trowa stated, standing up, the light girl in her arms. Quatre glanced at Duo and Wufei who seemed to be waiting for answers.   
  
"So?", Duo asked flipping his bangs out of his eyes, hanging up his VR suit.   
  
Quatre sighed, his heart still tight within his chest. By Allah he needed her. To see her smiling face. He could feel her internal torment even while she was in her soldier mode, no matter how hard she tried to shield it. He also felt her fear, fear that something would go wrong, that she was alone.   
  
"Winner, what the hell is going on?", Wufei demanded a scowl upon his face.   
  
"Serenity is not becoming an Elemental--", Quatre began trying to search for the right words to explain the situation. Duo sighed in relief he had been afraid that they were going to lose the newest pilot before he had a chance to get to know her. "-- she already is.", Quatre finished finding the simplest words best.   
  
Duo and Wufei for once it their lives threw looks at each other that did not mean certain death. "How?", they both blurted out at the same time, eyes equally wide.   
  
"I had forgotten, her mother naturally has elemental powers, and when she had Serenity, Serenity received those same powers as well, they just need to be awakened. That's what's going on tonight.", Quatre answered glancing at Heero to see the boy staring at nowhere seemingly uninterested, yet in reality hung on every word.   
  
"So, you're tellin' us, that she could shoot fire balls at us?", Duo questioned an eyebrow raised.   
  
"Not yet.", Heero stated in monotone bringing the rose out, and tossing it to Wufei. Wufei eyes it strangely, the rose seemed to have an odd feel about it. It actually had an aura. Serenity's aura.  
  
"That rose was in the solarium, dead. She healed it with a mere touch.", Heero informed the slightly miffed pair, it was just something you had to see to believe.  
  
"Remember how badly off I was, from the questioning in the base? The large bruise that should still be here?", Quatre asked running a hand over the side of his face. Wufei nodded, remembering the situation grimly.   
  
"Hey, you should still have it, shouldn't you? And all the other scratches, and the welts on your arms, are they gone too?", Duo asked shocked, flinging his braid over his shoulder.   
  
"They're all gone, every scratch, every welt, every wound. All that's left of the wounds from the whip are scars, they will never go away. The only reason I'm this well off is because when she found me on the balcony she healed me. That's why she was so tired when we came back, why she immediately fell asleep. It drains her energy to heal someone of something.", Quatre explained running a hand through his platinum locks. His eyes still held an alarming look of sadness and worry in them as he looked at his watch. 11:15.  
  
"We'll just wait and see how she is tomorrow, I guess.", Duo stated with a yawn slowly accepting all the information. "But for now I need sleep."  
  
Wufei couldn't have agreed with the baka more he felt drained enough to collapse. He really ought to use the game system more often.   
  
" I think we all do.", Quatre replied sending a good night to each of the three boys on his way out. He was frustrated, and he stayed that way until he reached his bedroom, slamming the door shut behind him.   
  
The battle-trained boy had no idea what to do. Her pain and confusion was almost overpowering him, in turn causing him to worry more. And then he felt her fear, her absolute fear. Not fear that she was going to die, but fear that she was alone. That she was going through with the procedure alone, with no one to help calm her other fears, except a cranky old doctor.   
  
His throat constricted painfully as he felt a fresh wave of torment fall through her. Then it came to him. To protect her from her fears, from her pain, from her heartache, was what he intended to do, he loved her and heavens be damned if they decided to cause her pain. 'I love her.', he repeated again stalking back out of his room at 11:45 like the hounds of hell were nipping at his heals.  
  
He got past Andromeda with a small hassle, saying that Serenity had said to admit no one to the hangar. But after throwing a teary-eyed look in her direction, she let him pass, seeing he meant no ill will. Through the entire ride to the hangar his whole body felt tense, his mind numb. He could only feel the intense need to get to her as soon as humanly possible. And in his case that was pretty damn fat, but to him it wasn't fast enough.   
  
The elevator stopped and Quatre took off out the doors, racing down the hall, ignoring Bryce on the way through. As he burst through the hangar doors, J looked up in surprise from his tinkering.   
  
"I assume you and the other pilots know?", J questioned glaring at Quatre with his beady eyes, while the boy caught his breath.   
  
"Yes we do. Where is she?", Quatre demanded his gaze flitting around the room.   
  
"Did she tell you?", the doctor asked angrily slamming his fist on the table.   
  
"No we found out on our own. You left the plans out of the desk. Now, where is she?", Quatre questioned a bit of feral activity showing in his eyes. Seeing this the good doctor pointed down the hall. Quatre nodded and walked calmly towards it, fixing his shirt and hair, which had suddenly become unruly again.  
  
He kept walking till her heard the sound of a zipper zipping something up. Quatre looked in the room to see Serenity wearing a skin tight rubber suit, with the same material for the feet, only shaped into thin boots, a zipper up the front.  
  
"Hey.", Quatre called softly knocking on the doorframe. Serenity jumped and whirled around a gun in hand, cocked and ready. Seeing whom it was she let the weapon drop to the floor and motioned him to enter. She then turned her back and continued flipping through the yellowed charts.  
  
"Can I help you?", she asked politely with a form of detachment in her voice.   
  
Quatre sighed, walked up to her, and wound his arms about her waist, burying his face in the crook of her neck.   
  
"Quatre...", she trailed of turning in his arms and wrapping his arms around his waist. Her shoulders shook once more, and he soon realized she had begun to cry once more.   
  
"I'm sorry, so sorry, for everything. I had no right to act like I did, and I'm sorry.", he began holding her close, whispering in her ear.   
  
"I love you so very much, I just didn't want to see you hurt.", he voiced rubbing his hand up and down her back, while kissing the top of her head gently.   
  
"I-I I love y-you too.", she replied through her tears, joy and happiness being born within her heart.   
  
Quatre smiled at that, and leaned down to kiss her softly, expecting a soft peck on the lips, yet his lips were lovingly captured by her own. Her kiss was searing, filled with longing, as if it were to be their last kiss shared, and by Allah it was the sweetest. He pulled away slowly, not wanting it to end, but knowing that J would come to check on them soon. He placed a chaste kiss on her lips, followed by another, and another, until their lips once again became interlocked. He tilted her back slightly, supporting her with a hand at the small of her back, and the other just below the base of her neck. They finally broke away, breathing harshly, clutching each other tightly. Quatre opened his eyes to see her beautiful face wet with tears, tears she had even shed while they kissed. His first thought was that he had hurt her, but by the feeling in his heart he could tell he had done nothing but help reduce her heartache.   
  
"I'll never leave you alone, I'll always be with you, one way or another. Weather it be in body or spirit, I will always be with you. I'll never go away.", Quatre whispered kissing her temple, enfolding her tightly in his arms.   
  
"Thank-you.", she whispered, her eyes clenched shut tightly, as if opening them would make him a dream. A mindless day dream. She opened her eyes and looked up at him, realizing he was no dream, but real and proclaiming his love to her.   
  
"We should get going.", he whispered back with a smile as he felt her emotions go back to normal, her fear still there yet not as profound.   
  
She nodded and walked out of the room an arm around his waist, his arm over her shoulder.   
  
"Took you too long enough.", J snapped obviously angry his plans were off time.  
  
"Sorry.", Quatre apologized, never removing his arm from her frightened figure.   
  
"Follow me.", the doctor sighed leading them across the hangar, plans under his arms.  
  
As they approached a tall glass-titanium bound cylinder, big enough to fit two and a half Serenity's in, they saw a woman working the computer in front of it. She had long, dark green hair that swept up into a half bun, and garnet eyes, with a white lab coat.   
  
"Hello. I am Setsuna Meioh, better known as Dr. T.", the woman began pleasantly, a smile ready for each of them. She didn't seem surprised that Quatre had been there, but more so amused.   
  
"If you are ready we shall begin.", she started raking Serenity's hand and dragging over her to a harness. She strapped an oxygen mask over Serenity's mouth and nose, then swiftly buckled Serenity's feet to the harness. The woman then pressed a maroon button and the odd harness moved into the open cylinder, locking in place, then the glass-titanium door snapped shut with an airtight lock. As a water like substance began to fill the cylinder, fear entered Serenity's face as it came to her lower calves. She placed a hand on the glass to steady herself as the water filled to her knees. She was suddenly aware of something warm on the other side of the glass her hand touched. She looked up to see Quatre looking at her worriedly, his hand on hers through the glass. The water was so cold, now up to her waist. It was ice cold, so cold it stung. 'I love you.', he mouthed to her his eyes shining with worry for her. Serenity nodded at him as the water covered her chest. She could hardly breathe, and it was then that she realized the oxygen tasted funny, it was filled with some type of sleeping gas. Her vision blurred and as the water covered the mask, the last thing she remembered was the worried eyes of the man she loved shining down on her. And in her dreamless slumber, those same eyes continued to haunt her, ever present on her mind.   
  
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That's the FIFTH chapter!  
  
Sailor Grape, I'll be sending you part of the sixth to critique real soon, so be warned! THAT'S what I'm stumped on.   
  
Please review!   
  
Sorry for the delay, but I boys and girls was on vacation, and didn't have time to write much. Although I did shang-high daddy dearest's laptop to read and review some of the fics.   
  
Once again Please review  
  
Much Love SerenityMoon 


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